In Which the Family is Domestic
by Allie Chick
Summary: A series of connected shorts following the fluffy lives of Berwald, Tino and their adopted son Peter, with occasional interruption from Uncle Matthias. Sufin and Sealand fluff (with some angst).
1. Chapter 1

In Which Berwald Meets the Cutest Man in the Office

_(Peter is not yet adopted)_

When Berwald went to the head of his department to ask that he work with a different member of the Sales and Marketing team, he didn't think he would quite be this lucky. Standing before him was Tino, the absolutely cutest man who worked at this branch of Heta Secure Software. Berwald had never actually spoken to or formally met Tino, but he certainly had noticed him. And now they were going to be cubicle partners.

It was better anything than Berwald could ask for.

The department head of Engineering and Programming, Ludwig Beilschmidt, had been quite understanding when Berwald came to him with complaints about his former cubicle partner Gilbert. The self-proclaimed Prussian was loud and constantly pestered Berwald to the point where he could hardly focus on his work. Ludwig had sighed knowingly when presented with this information and said that he had hoped a stern partner like Berwald would calm Gilbert down. Though Gilbert was an excellent member of the Sales and Marketing team, he was quite difficult to work with.

Now Tino, notoriously one of the most underestimated and fierce members of the marketing team, would be sitting only a few feet away from him. Berwald could understand why Tino might be mistaken as a fragile and delicate man. He had never seen Tino exhibiting any signs of anything else. With those large violet eyes, pale blond hair that framed his soft round face, and slim figure, Tino seemed anything but fierce. It didn't help that he looked up at Berwald with an expression of fear plastered across his face. He was clutching his box containing his belongings with shaking hands and generally looked displeased with the current situation.

Berwald knew he had a reputation of being the silent, stoic, stern but brilliant engineer in the office. He'd gone through many members of the Sales and Marketing department who were so intimidated by him they could hardly work. On several occasions, Berwald wondered why the company insisted that each member of the Engineering and Programming team work closely with Sales and Marketing.

However, Berwald was quite happy with that policy now.

Tino on the other hand was quite unhappy with those arrangements. He was very glad to get away from his former partner, a large odd Russian named Ivan. However, he was merely being transferred from one giant scary man to another. Berwald was notorious for being frightening and liking no one. Tino generally got along with most people, but even he was unsure if he could work with this man. The way he was scowling at him…

Being aware of the fact that his face tended to frighten people, Berwald tried to soften the permanent scowl on his face.

"Hello," he said quickly, trying to seem friendly.

This seemed to pull Tino out of his fear-induced state of shock. Remembering himself, he quickly smiled sweetly at his new cubicle buddy. His nose crinkled as he smiled and his head bobbed to the side as he returned the greeting. _Cute, _was the only thing Berwald could think of looking at him.

"I'm Tino Väinämöinen," he introduced himself. His voice was higher than most men and his accent made it almost sound like he was singing. Berwald frowned when he heard the slight tremor in his voice. "Um, I don't think we've been formally introduced before. You must be Berwald."

True to his usual quiet nature, Berwald simply grunted in affirmation and gestured his arm into the cubicle, making room for the little man to get by. Hesitantly, Tino entered and moved to the empty desk, sitting on the wall directly opposite Berwald's. _At least we won't be facing each other, _Tino thought with some relief.

Berwald's face really was scary, though Tino didn't think he was an ugly man. He was simply very tall, broad, and unusually quiet. Additionally, he always scowled as if he constantly smelled something gross.

As Tino set about setting up his desk, Berwald attempted to make small talk. "Look forward to working with ya," he said quietly. He suddenly became aware of how deep his voice was.

"Mmhmm," Tino responded automatically, busy arranging a framed picture of a fluffy white dog.

Quickly, Berwald gave up on making conversation and returned to his work.

Within a week, a little routine developed between them. They only greeted each other in the morning, said farewell when the work day was done, and consulted briefly with each other on the projects they shared. This suited Berwald just fine, as he was never a man of many words. However, he wouldn't mind becoming closer with Tino. Berwald didn't have many friends and thought it would be nice to consider Tino one.

Tino, on the other hand was, very uncomfortable with their current communication. The constant silence was awkward to him and he was no longer as afraid of Berwald as he was at first. Slowly he was learning that the man could be very sweet by going out of his way to make Tino's work easier. Yet, he still knew absolutely nothing about Berwald's personal life.

By the middle of the second week, Tino was ready to change things up.

Nervously, he stood behind Berwald's chair, waiting to be noticed. However, Berwald was _very _absorbed in his work and didn't notice the man trying to get his attention until Tino cleared his throat loudly.

"Can I help ya?" Berwald asked quickly, turning his chair around to face his work partner. His expression was dark, in what Tino thought could be worry.

"Um, yes," Tino began nervously. He gave himself a moment to collect his thoughts before continuing. Berwald watched him patiently. "I was wondering if you'd like to go out to lunch with me today. Maybe we could get to know each other better."

Berwald's face reddened. He liked Tino, very much. He was just… _so damn adorable. _Tino watched him expectantly, waiting for a response. Berwald simply nodded in affirmation, not trusting himself to speak. Relief instantly washed over Tino, glad to be accepted.

"Great!" Tino said with delight, "I look forward to it!"

Berwald was surprised by Tino's offer. He'd assumed that Tino was still too afraid of him to want to spend more time together. But Tino had surprised Berwald in many ways the last week. Though he was clearly frightened of Berwald at first, he always tried to be his usual cheerful self around him. Additionally, Berwald witnessed how the Finn could be very tough when the occasion called for it. Whether on phone calls with clients or dealing with the other members of his department, Tino knew how to succeed and would do anything to do it.

In Berwald's mind, this only made Tino more adorable than before.

When the time for lunch approached, Berwald quickly finished up whatever he was working on. He gathered his coat and awkwardly waited for Tino. As they left the office together, Tino filled the silence with cheerful chatter. He knew Berwald well enough at this point to not expect much conversation from him.

"I was thinking we should go to this little café I like. It's called _The Little Red Tomato,_" Tino paused to glance upward at his tall companion. "Does that sound okay to you?" he asked hesitantly.

Berwald nodded. "Where ever ya want to go."

With his confidence returned and the hesitancy gone from his voice, Tino continued making small talk. Berwald didn't say much in response beyond one word answers. Luckily, the ride down the elevator to the front desk was short.

"Hey Tino! Headin' ou-" the flamboyant secretary Feliks began to greet them as they passed, but he stopped short when he saw Berwald's stare. "Oh. H-hello Mr. Oxenstierna."

The other secretary, Toris, smiled politely at the two of them as Feliks pushed his chair back and angled himself slightly behind the Lithuanian. The two of them were the perfect pair to be at the front desk. Toris acted as the polite and courteous greeter while Feliks was flamboyant and welcoming (when he wasn't feeling too shy).

With a small laugh of amusement at Feliks's fear, Tino waved hello. "We're headed out to lunch! See you later Feliks."

Toris nodded in acknowledgement and turned back to his computer while Feliks watched warily as the two office workers left through. Berwald was quite certain he heard Toris scolding his desk partner for his impolite behavior towards Mr. Oxenstierna. This only made him smile sadly to himself. Unfortunately, not everyone overcame their initial fear of him. Though Berwald tried to be friendly, it was hard to do as a naturally introverted person. He was grateful that at least Tino wasn't afraid. Most of the time.

The walk to the café was thankfully short. The café itself was rather small and quaint, with older architecture and a stone façade. The doorway was framed with climbing vines that covered the building. Two little wrought iron tables sat out front with two little chairs around each. Inside, the café was divided in half by a long counter. A few more tables sat on one side of the counter and the café display and kitchen took up the other side. The walls were brick and the whole room had a rich and inviting atmosphere. As soon as Tino walked through the door, he was greeted cheerfully.

"Mr. Tino! How are you!" A happy tempered Spaniard hopped over the counter to great them.

His bright green eyes flashed with delight as he threw his arms in the air to give Tino a quick hug. Tino laughed and informed him that he was doing fine. Almost instantly, Berwald knew he didn't like this too friendly, wonderfully tanned man. Without realizing it, he glared angrily down at him. The Spaniard seemed completely unfazed and smiled up at him cheerfully.

"Hello Mr.!" he greeted, holding out his hand for Berwald to shake. "Are you a friend of Mr. Tino's?"

All Berwald could do in response was stare at the hand extended in shock. But the cheerful man waited patiently for him to react.

Luckily for Berwald, Tino jumped in and introduced them.

"This is my coworker Berwald," he explained and gestured to the tall man behind him. "Berwald, this is Antonio. I've been coming here a while, so we've gotten to know each other."

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Berwald!" Antonio said pleasantly and dropped his hand.

"Mmm," Berwald grunted in response.

He was taken aback by Antonio. Antonio was either very friendly, or completely oblivious to Berwald's scowls. He seemed less intimidated than even Tino was and Berwald didn't know how to react to him. Luckily, they didn't have to interact for long.

"Antonio, get your lazy ass back over here!" a short, angry man yelled from behind the counter.

With a smile, he turned to his coworker. "Sorry Lovi, be right there!" he called back. "You'll have to forgive Lovino, he's always like that," Antonio explained to Berwald.

Antonio led the two back to the cashier where they were to order. Tino listed off some of his favorite items and Berwald decided to pick whatever he suggested. After taking their order, Antonio continued to make conversation with Tino. Berwald felt incredibly awkward, not knowing what he should do.

Suddenly, Antonio turned to Berwald. "Oh! If you work with Tino then you might know a friend of ours who also works there!" He stated excitedly, "Do you know a Gilbert Beilschmidt? It's hard to miss him."

Berwald was not surprised at all to hear that Gilbert- the most obnoxious man in the whole office- was friends with Antonio- the over cheerful café worker- and Lovino- an angry Italian man with dark hair who had glared at him the entire time.

"Yes. I know 'im," Berwald answered finally.

This seemed to please Antonio very much. "Did you hear that Francis? He knows Gil!" he cried over his shoulder.

A man with tied back wavy golden hair and a bit of scruff on his chin poked his head around the wall that separated the kitchen. He had an inquiring look on his face and one of his perfect brows quirked. The man looked Berwald up and down before replying.

"Tonio, _Cher_, I do not believe that's a good thing," Francis replied, his accent clearly French. "I don't think he likes our dear Gilbert."

"Hmph, like anyone could like that bastard," Lovino muttered.

It appeared that Antonio couldn't believe someone could dislike Gilbert. His face screwed into a perplexed expression. With an awkward laugh, Tino excused himself and Berwald and they sat in the corner of the café near the window.

"So, um, what do you think of the place?" Tino asked nervously.

"'s cute," Berwald answered honestly.

Tino smiled with approval. "Hm, yes. I like it here. Even if the staff is… unique."

Just then, Lovino came over with their food. He instructed that if there was anything wrong with their meal to let him know and that he would "correct the French bastard" for them. Tino thanked him politely and the Italian retreated back to the counter. The rest of the café was completely empty.

"So, tell me about yourself Berwald," Tino demanded after they picked at their food a few minutes. "We've been working together a while and I still don't know much about you. Have a family? Girlfriend? Boyfriend? Roommates?"

At his words, Berwald felt his throat tighten with anxiety. He didn't like to talk much and he certainly didn't have a lot to say about himself. He would much rather hear about Tino.

"No fam'ly. Just a broth'r, Matthias. I live with 'm," Berwald answered carefully.

Tino nodded in interest. "What's he like? Is he older or younger than you?"

"He's m' older broth'r, but he doesn' act like it. We don' get along. Nev'r have. He's a right pain in th' ass," Berwald explained.

He surprised himself with how open he was being with Tino. Normally, he wouldn't open up to someone like this. But Tino seemed enthralled. His large violet eyes watched him carefully, gaging Berwald's reactions. Berwald found, he didn't mind opening up to him.

"Ah yes, roommate troubles. I know how that is," Tino responded. "I live with my best friend, Eduard. Great friend, horrible roommate. He's really into computers." Tino laughed to himself, remembering something funny. "I tried to date him once. Not my best idea in the world. But we're still good friends."

The last sentence peaked Berwald's interest. '_So Tino doesn't mind dating guys'. _Berwald had never really dated anyone, girl or boy. He'd never had any interest in it. But now he found himself wanting to date Tino. Berwald liked him. He was sweet and gentle but also fierce and above all _adorable. _

"So, you're not dating anyone?" Tino asked again. Berwald shook his head. "Yah, me neither."

'_And he's single too.' _

As they walked back to the office, Tino felt the lunch went very well. He was surprised at how much Berwald had opened up to him. Berwald was really a sweet guy, once you got to know him. Tino was beginning to learn that Berwald's scowls usually weren't angry, but embarrassed or worried or awkward.

"We should do this again!" Tino suggested when they returned to their cubicle.

Berwald nodded in agreement. "Yes, we should."

The weekly visit to _The Little Red Tomato _became routine for the cubicle partners. Tino started to feel completely comfortable around Berwald and Berwald started to feel completely comfortable around Tino. They frequently became distracted in each other's presence, spending much of the workday talking. For the first time ever, Berwald felt he had someone he could open up to, someone he didn't feel awkward around.

Slowly as their friendship grew stronger, something seemed to change in their relationship. Berwald wanted them to be closer; more than just friends. He wasn't sure if his feelings for Tino could be considered love, but they certainly weren't platonic. And since Tino would casually find reasons to touch him, like putting a hand on his shoulder or patting his hand, Berwald began to wonder if Tino felt the same way.

A few months into their weekly outings, Tino missed a lunch because he was in a meeting. It was the first time either of them was unable to make it to their regular lunch date. Berwald found he was more disappointed than he expected. Tino told him that he should go to lunch without him, but he found he couldn't go there without Tino. To make up for it, Berwald casually invited Tino to dinner at his house that night. This was his chance to test the waters, see if Tino was open to furthering their friendship.

"Yah, sounds like a date!" Tino agreed cheerfully, trying to hide the fact his heart was pounding. _Berwald had just asked him out. _

"Um… yes. A date," Berwald responded, feeling nervous but delighted that Tino called it a date.

Dinner went fantastically. Tino discovered that Berwald was an excellent cook and kept a good and tidy house. Berwald made sure that Matthias was gone for the evening and wouldn't interrupt them. Both were very nervous at the start, but by the end, they fell back into comfortable conversation and enjoyed each other's company.

Tino entertained Berwald with stories of all the times he'd been mistaken for a woman (which was a surprisingly large amount). Berwald found this to be perhaps the funniest thing he'd ever heard and couldn't stop laughing (from that time on, Berwald would often refer to Tino has is girlfriend, just to tease him). For the first time, Tino heard the Swede's deep laugh, which he thought was rather funny.

As Tino was getting ready to leave several hours later, he made the most impulsive but worthwhile decision in his life: he gave Berwald a quick kiss.

And Berwald kissed him back.

That made it official for the two of them. They were dating. Tino had never been happier with anyone else. Of all the other people he'd dated, no one quietly looked after him like Berwald did. Berwald was just grateful to no longer be alone and to have someone as sweet as his dear Tino.

The office buzzed with gossip about their relationship. Nobody could believe that fragile Tino would ever date the intimidating Swede. There were rumors that Berwald had forced Tino into a relationship. Immediately, Tino quashed all rumors that suggested such a thing and fiercely defended his boyfriend. Berwald didn't like the attention from his coworkers, but was tickled pink that Tino was so protective of him.

Months passed and their relationship grew more serious. More and more often, Berwald would stay at Tino's apartment. Eventually, Berwald spent hardly any time at his place anymore and Eduard grew accustomed to an extra person in his shared apartment with Tino. The two of them began discussing getting an apartment and officially moving in together, since they were practically there already.

Berwald was eager to escape living with his brother, but worried that it would cause a fight. Though Berwald wasn't very close to Matthias, he still didn't like fighting with him, something that happened quite often (and sometimes it led to punches being thrown and living room brawls, even though both men were well into their 20's). Matthias had already been vocal about his disapproval of Tino and often complained that Berwald wasn't home often enough.

"I know you don't want to confront your brother, Berwald. But it's not like you were going to live with him forever," Tino encouraged him.

Tino was feeling rather impatient about the whole situation. He didn't particularly like Matthias either and was tired of Berwald being coerced into listening to him. If Tino had his way, they would've moved in together much sooner.

So finally, after dating Tino for nearly a year, Berwald finally confronted his brother about it. Tino accompanied him, to offer emotional support (and perhaps break up a fight). Berwald thought it would be best if Tino stayed out of the way at first, to help Matthias keep his cool.

"Hey Berry! It's been a while," Matthias greeted him when he came home one rainy evening to find his absent brother waiting for him at the kitchen table. His appearance- messy, dark blond hair that stuck up in every direction; thick, expressive eyebrows; mischievous, sparking blue eyes; and a large, always open or smiling mouth – showed how different the demeanor of the two was. Like Berwald, Matthias was tall, though not quite as tall as his brother. He made up for this small deficit in his height by being much broader than his brother. "Which is odd, since you're my roomie. I should see you more often, Berry."

After containing any complaints he had about the nickname 'Berry', Berwald calmly greeted his brother. His older brother Matthias had an interesting personality, as Berwald would put it if he was being nice. If he was in a foul mood he would say Matthias was childish, rude, controlling, and irresponsible. Generally, Matthias simply behaved like a party animal. However, he wasn't easy going all the time. If he didn't get his way, he tended to get angry. Matthias's temper was even worse than Berwald's (which rarely showed itself) and it often cause Matthias to turn violent.

"So, whatcha doin' here? Not staying the night at your girlfriend's place?" Matthias asked as he shed his wet raincoat and threw it on the counter.

Once again, Berwald swallowed any complaints about Matthias's respect for Tino. Only _he _was allowed to refer to Tino that way. But Berwald was there for a specific reason and he needed to pick his battles. It wasn't the time to be nitpicky.

Matthias shuffled over to the fridge and pulled out a can of beer. "Want one?" he inquired of Berwald. Berwald politely declined. "Your loss," Matthias sighed with a shrug. He never said no to a beer, especially free beer.

"I've actually been wanting to talk to ya," Matthias stated, throwing himself down in the seat across from Berwald. "You've been gone too much. Us living together was supposed to help us grow closer. Which doesn't work if you're gone all the time."

Surprised that Matthias was ready to discuss the exact topic he came here for, Berwald swallowed nervously. "Yes, ab't that-"

"Finally breakin' up with him are ya? You've been together for… well, ever," Matthias guessed with a stupid smirk on his face. "And as glad as I am that you've finally been laid, I agree that it's time for you to move on."

To help contain his frustration, Berwald pulled off his glasses and wiped his eyes wearily. He really didn't want this to turn into a brawl. It was a good thing he brought Tino. Thinking of him waiting in the other room helped Berwald keep his temper.

"Matthias if ye'd let me explain," he nearly begged with frustration.

"Okay, explain away. No need to get pissy," Matthias replied defensively, folding his arms across his chest.

'_Great, things are already getting testy,' _Berwald noted with annoyance.

"Tino an' I are still tog'ther," Berwald explained slowly. Matthias stared at him blankly. Berwald continued, trying to make him understand, "We're very serious."

This made Matthias frown, but he didn't say anything. He didn't like the way this conversation was headed either.

"We want t' move in tog'ther," Berwald continued. "I'm goin' to move out."

The frown on Matthias's face grew bigger. His folded arms were tensed and his eyes kept their gaze down. It wasn't that he didn't expect this conversation to come; Berwald had been serious for so long that Matthias was surprised it didn't happen sooner. But that didn't change the fact that he was angry.

"What if I say no?" Matthias asked coolly, finally looking at Berwald.

"'m not askin' permission. 'm movin' out," Berwald answered firmly. He wouldn't let his older brother control him like this anymore. No matter how much he yelled or fought.

"You oughta listen to your older brother," Matthias warned, his voice dangerously low.

"I don' have to," Berwald replied, pushing away from the table. In his mind, the discussion was over; he was leaving.

The bang of a fist slamming on the table stopped Berwald in his retreat. He turned around slowly to find Matthias half out of his seat and looking positively furious. Just seeing his brother's overreaction to the situation made Berwald angry.

"Hold on a damn second! We're not finished here!" Matthias growled.

It was clear to Berwald that Matthias was now past reason and that he wouldn't cool down until a few punches were thrown. This was exactly what Berwald had wanted to avoid- he was too old to be acting like some hormone enraged teenager- but he was close to losing it too. Luckily, Tino chose that moment to emerge from the other room to check things out.

"Is everything alright?" he asked calmly, quickly looking from Matthias to his boyfriend.

"Oh look, your damn girlfriend has decided to join us!" Matthias cried with false enthusiasm, eyes trained right on Tino.

The look he was giving Tino worried Berwald. He didn't want Tino to be dragged into it. Holding his hands up defensively, he took a few steps towards his brother.

"Matthias!" he commanded, voice loud and firm, "This 's nothin' to get so angry ov'r. We're just goin' t' leave now."

Unfortunately, this had the opposite effect than Berwald had expected.

"The HELL it is!" Matthias roared. "This is about ye learning some respect! You've never listened to me in your life! All I'm tryin' to do is keep this family together and because of your damn sissy boy toy-"

At this point, Matthias was stopped by a fist to his jaw. Berwald pulled back, shaking the pain from his hand. He knew he'd regret it, but Berwald couldn't stand Matthias talking about Tino that way. Tino cried out in protest as Matthias returned the blow and tackled Berwald to the ground. They rolled around on the floor for several minutes, knocking into furniture, banging heads on the hardwood flooring, and exchanging curses. But their brawl was quickly ended by Tino, who forcibly pulled Matthias off of Berwald.

With a heavy breath, Tino pulled Berwald off the ground. "C'mon let's go," he said shortly, clearly upset.

Matthias and Berwald regarded each other for a moment. Finally, Matthias turned away, angry tears running down his cheeks. He was hurt: hurt that his brother didn't want to have a close relationship with him, hurt that he would choose his boyfriend over his brother, and hurt that they couldn't seem to communicate without it turning violent.

Tino pulled Berwald away and led him to the car, noticing a slight limp in Berwald's step as he walked. Neither of them spoke, the tension between them causing the silence. Berwald was relieved that the ordeal was over and that at least he didn't have much left at his apartment to move. Tino was both furious at Berwald and concerned about his physical wellbeing.

"'m sorry," Berwald apologized first as Tino drove them back to his apartment.

With a sigh, Tino glanced sideways at his boyfriend. "Are you hurt?" he asked as his attention went back to the road.

"Only a l'ttle," Berwald responded gruffly, testing his limbs. His ribs felt a little bruised, his jaw was sore, there was a lump on his head, and his right knee was a little banged up. But besides that, he was perfectly fine. He'd had worse.

After a pause. "I wish you hadn't started a fight with your brother over this," Tino said slowly.

Berwald shrugged, trying to hide his embarrassment. "We'd a fought anyway."

With a grunt, Tino acknowledged the statement. But Berwald could tell he disagreed.

"You didn't seem to like Matthias calling me your girlfriend," Tino noted, glancing at him. Berwald could hear the slight tremor in his voice. He was hurt. "I don't understand, you call me that all the time."

Berwald could hear the unspoken question, _Should I be angry about that? _

"Matthias meant t' insult ye," Berwald tried to explain, but it was difficult to find the right words. "I don' mean it in th' same way."

Tino simply hummed in response.

"I love ye," Berwald said simply.

Tino turned to face him fully. With a small smile he replied, "I love you too, Ber. And I'm sorry that I've caused all this trouble."

Berwald's head shook firmly in disagreement. "No, 's not yer fault."

The rest of the ride to Tino and Eduard's apartment was in silence, both parties quietly processing their feelings. As Tino parked the car and moved to get out, Berwald stopped him with his hand. With a concerned expression, Tino slowly sat back down. He needed to tell Tino something he'd been thinking about for the past few days and he needed to do it while he had the courage.

"What's wrong Ber?" Tino asked softly.

Berwald closed his eyes a moment to collect his thoughts. "I know I've been calling ye m' girlfriend. But I think, I wan' t' call ye m' wife," he managed out nervously.

Tino's eyes widened in surprise and he looked a little perplexed, as if he was having a hard time understanding what Berwald had just suggested. "Your wife?" he whispered to himself. Slowly his cheeks began to redden his eyes glistened. "Okay," he answered with a shrug.

Berwald pulled him into a tight hug. "Good," he muttered in response, feeling a little red and teary himself.

And that's how meeting the cutest man in the office ending up being the best thing that ever happened to him.

* * *

AN: I just need more Sufin domestic fluff in my life, so here it is.

Thank you to my beta Shelby, for helping this actually make sense.

Also, thank you for reading!

Heart,  
Allie


	2. Chapter 2

In Which Berwald and Tino Decide to Have a Baby

_(Peter is 4)_

It was Berwald's idea. After seeing how his husband interacted with his coworker's children on Bring Your Child to Work Day, he brought it up with Tino. The way Tino's cheerful personality made all the children smile, the way little ones seemed to gravitate toward him, the way Tino didn't seem to care at all- Berwald wanted to see him with a child of their own. They'd been together for two and a half years, having been married for one. Berwald felt it was time to consider kids. He felt that a child- their child- would only add to his love for his lovely wife.

Tino's eyes widened at the suggestion. "Ber, I would love to have a child with you," he began. But Berwald could hear the nervous tremor in his voice. "But can we really care for one at the moment? I've thought about adoption before… It just doesn't seem like a good idea."

Berwald did his best to hide his disappointment from his spouse. That wasn't the reaction he was expecting from Tino. Tino absolutely adored little ones. Was it possible Tino worried that Berwald couldn't interact with children well? He was well aware of his stoic and scary nature. On the days when children swarmed the offices, his cubicle was well avoided by all but the bravest. But Berwald could be gentle and Tino knew it.

Tino gave his husband an apologetic smile and the topic was not brought up again.

"Please Ber, it's only dinner with your brother," Tino pleaded from his position on his husband's lap. "You haven't seen him in months and Matthias wants to reconcile."

Berwald didn't answer and his gaze moved from his sweet wife to the fire burning before them. They'd been having such a lovely evening by themselves, enjoying each other's company and snuggling by the fire. But the talk of Berwald's brother instantly put him in an unpleasant mood. He hadn't seen or spoken to Matthias since he'd stormed out of their apartment over a year ago. However, Tino seemed determined to make peace between them. This left the Swede conflicted, wanting to both please his lovely Tino and continue his grudge against his brother.

The dark look on Ber's face instantly told Tino that he wasn't ready to talk about this yet. Tino didn't want to push the issue, but he felt that he needed too. It was partially his fault that Berwald had such a big fight with his brother. Tino knew they already had a precarious relationship, but it was Berwald's relation with him that pushed it over the edge.

Tino snuggled closer to Berwald's strong, stiff frame and buried his face against his neck. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

Now it was Berwald's turn to feel the guilt. As he held Tino closer, he whispered, "Don' be. 'S not yer fault."

With a pleasant hum, Tino leaned up and kissed him softly.

A week later, Berwald found himself waiting anxiously in the living room for his brother to arrive. Tino had been very positive and gave his husband plenty of assurances that it would be all right.

When the doorbell rang, Tino gave Ber's hand one last comforting squeeze before going to answer the door. As the sound of Tino's cheerful greeting echoed into the room, Berwald mentally prepared himself. He would try to get along with his older brother, but he wouldn't let Matthias push him around like the past. As long as Tino stood with him, Berwald was sure he could handle this.

"Come in! Berwald is waiting for us in here," Tino guided his guests into the room.

He immediately took his place at his husband's side. Following him into the room was Matthias- who looked as tall, broad, and messy haired as ever- as well as two guests he brought with him. The first was a slim young man with long blonde hair that half hung in his face and half pulled back in a clip. He wore a generally disinterested and sullen expression on his pale face. He held tightly to the hand of a small boy with silvery hair and an equally disinterested and vacant expression.

Nervously, Matthias stepped forward and offered his hand to his brother. "Hey Berry. It's been a while," he managed to say with his usual amount of enthusiasm.

After a moment of regarding the outstretched hand, Berwald glanced at his husband standing beside him. Tino offered him a bright smile of encouragement. Reluctantly, he reached out to shake his brother's hand and accepted the fact that he'd have to put up with Matthias whether he wanted to or not, for the sake of Tino.

However, as Berwald reached for his hand, Matthias attacked and pulled him into a tight hug. "I knew you'd come around!" he cried happily.

'_Yes_,' Berwald thought, '_I'm never going to escape him_.'

Matthias pulled away, but kept one arm slung around his shoulder. "Berry, I want you to meet my boyfriend Lukas and his little brother Eirik," he introduced as he gestured to the two blondes observing from the edge of the room.

With all his usual friendless, Tino urged them to make themselves at home.

For an awkward dinner party, it wasn't a bad start.

Eventually, after everyone had eaten their fill at dinner, they ended up back in the sitting room. Matthias sat on the floor with Emil on his lap, who had been oddly quiet all night and watched the adults as if he were scientifically observing them. The little boy acted very similarly to his older brother and didn't speak much. However when he did speak, Emil proved himself to be very stubborn and insistent that he do things without any help.

Lukas, on the other hand, simply seemed constantly exasperated towards Matthias and had little patience for him. Frequently, Matthias would throw his arm playfully around Lukas's shoulder or nuzzle close to his side. The smaller blond did not seem to appreciate this attention and would shove Matthias away coldly. Berwald didn't quite understand how Lukas could stand dating his brother. Or if their relationship could be considered romantic at all.

Towards Emil, Lukas's patience seemed eternal and the Little One was the only person Lukas showed any interest in whatsoever. At dinner, before Emil would even ask for more milk or salt, Lukas would be passing it to him. Generally, Lukas seemed disinterested in conversing with Matthias, Tino, or Berwald. However, he was happy to listen to his little brother and answer any questions he may have.

Berwald very much enjoyed Lukas's company. The two of them got along well in mostly silence and eye rolling. Lukas was the kind of person that Berwald could be friends with. He was quiet, wasn't intimidated by him, and didn't seem care about much.

Despite not getting along in the past, Tino and Matthias seemed to be very friendly with each other now. Tino sat on the floor across from Matthias and was trying to get Emil to smile, while having an animated discussion with Matthias about alcohol. They appeared to be debating the merits of various beverages and comparing how well they could hold their liquor (Tino was an avid drinker of Vodka and Berwald already knew that Matthias drank anything that was free and had alcohol in it).

As fascinating as listening to _that _conversation was, Berwald hoped to find something else to occupy him. Turning to Lukas, he asked, "How old's he?"

The question jerked the young man out of his silent musings. "The Little One? He's 5," he answered warmly. He watched his brother with a small smile on his lips.

This intrigued the Swede. There must have been a large difference in age between the brothers. Unless Lukas was even younger than he estimated. Of course, Matthias generally got along better with people several years younger than him, as he was closer to their maturity than those his own age.

"How old're ye?" Berwald asked, curiosity overcoming his politeness.

"I'm 20," Lukas responded in a bored tone, not bothering to look away from the Little One.

Berwald's eyebrows rose in surprise. The boy was even younger than he expected and was a good 7 years younger than Matthias. Lukas glanced at him and caught his surprised expression.

"Our mother was quite irresponsible," Lukas explained with disdain. "Little One was a surprise to all of us. But I am very grateful for him. He keeps me company."

Though Lukas seemed a very cold person, it was clear that he held his little brother very dear in his heart. Berwald admired that in him. He had never been very good at bonding with children. Surely, if Lukas could, then he could as well.

"He's v'ry quiet," Berwald observed as he watched Emil sit impassively on Matthias's lap.

With a sad smile Lukas replied, "I'm afraid he takes too much after me. Unfortunately, he doesn't get much interaction with those his own age."

"If ye don't mind m' askin'," Berwald began, wanting to ask the question that plagued him the whole night, "How're ye m' brother's boyfrien'?"

This made Lukas laugh- something that caught the attention of Matthias.

"Honestly, I don't know. My brother and I moved in to your old space and Matthias was very affectionate from the very start," Lukas explained, "He's annoying as hell, loud, and terribly rude. But he loves Emil and he's persistent. He can be… sweet." He face began to blush. "And… well, not many people are very fond of me."

Matthias smiled widely at his lover, which Lukas returned with a quirk of his lips.

"Brother, where's Mr. Puffin?" Emil inquired, pushing himself off of Matthias's lap. He walked over to his brother and placed his hands on his knees. "I want to play with him."

"We left him at home Little One," Lukas explained patiently.

For the first time all night, Berwald watched as the pale boy's face crumpled into a pout. "But I want to play with him!" he repeated, his voice cracking.

"I'm sorry Little One, but you can play with Mr. Puffin when you get home," Lukas answered soothingly.

Suddenly, the boy who had shown no emotion erupted into crying fit. Both Berwald and Tino watched him with surprise while Matthias looked exasperated and Lukas was still patient and calm.

"Here we go," Matthias muttered. Then to Tino he explained, "Emil really knows how to throw a fit. He acts cool like Lukas, but he's boiling with passion underneath it all."

Lukas's hands ran through Emil's silvery hair as he muttered comforting words to him. This didn't calm the little one down at all. But Lukas didn't seem to mind, he was only worried for his brother's happiness. After several minutes of watching Emil wail, Tino crawled toward him.

"Hey, don't cry Little One," Tino said cheerfully. Emil turned towards him with surprise, tears still streaming down his cheeks. "There's nothing to cry over!" He reached out and ruffled his soft hair.

Emil seemed stunned into silence. His eyes were still wet, but wide with surprise. Tino held out his arms and he rushed into his embrace.

"See, everything is alright!" Tino reassured him, holding him tightly. "Now tell me about Mr. Puffin."

For the rest of the evening Emil sat on Tino's lap. Suddenly, he was very talkative, telling Tino all about his stuffed toy. Tino listened with interest, loving everything the Little One had to say. Matthias seemed a little jealous and Lukas was amazed.

"He's never bonded so quickly with a stranger before," he explained to Berwald. "And sometimes I can't even calm him down when he goes into a fit."

Berwald smiled proudly at his darling wife, who blushed when heard Lukas's explanation.

Later, after Matthias and Lukas had left- with a promise to Emil that he could come back to visit Tino- the couple sat together on the couch. Tino chattered happily about how the evening was a success before lapsing into comfortable silence. The weight of his head rested on Tino's shoulder.

"Emil r'lly liked ye," Berwald murmured in his ear. "Knew ye were alw'ys good with kids."

With a blush, Tino nuzzled closer.

"Ber?" he asked hesitantly.

"Hmm?"

"I was thinking… we don't really need both of our incomes. Maybe… if I quit working… I think we could have a child," he explained awkwardly. "What do you think?"

Berwald's heart sped and he held Tino tightly to him. "Do ye mean it?" he managed to whisper.

"Yes," Tino replied, a little breathless.

To his surprise, Berwald found himself trembling. Tears prickled at his eyes and Berwald laughed. _We're going to have a baby._

The process was long and required weeks of paperwork, interviews, and background checks. They both knew it was going to be difficult and understood that rejection was a large possibility. Tino hoped to adopt a baby; a child they could raise completely as their own. But as they were repeatedly rejected by expecting mothers who changed their minds or chose other couples, a baby seemed more unlikely.

It was harder on Berwald than Tino. Berwald never felt confident with children in the first place and the difficulties only made him feel unsure. Though he really wanted a child, more than anything else, he was afraid. Tino, who had been hesitant at first, was now completely determined that they would find someone perfect to join their little family.

After the troubles with finding a newborn, the couple began to consider older children. It would be a more difficult adjustment, but at least they would still be able to provide a better life for a child in poorer circumstances. They flipped through countless files of children, debating ages and gender. But when Berwald came across the file of a certain child, he knew the little boy was right for them.

At long last, they were ready to meet the boy they'd decided on adopting: Peter Kirkland age 4. Anxiously, they waited in the office of the social worker in charge of their case. Tino was bubbling with excitement. On the other hand, Berwald was trembling with anxiety. The kid was bound to love Tino, but Berwald worried that he wouldn't like him. Tino had been coaching him on keeping a pleasant expression to avoid scaring Peter.

Finally, the door opened and the social worker led a skinny little boy into the office. His hair was straw colored and messy. His eyes were blue underneath thick dark eyebrows. Suspiciously he glanced from Berwald to Tino as the social worker introduced them.

"No!" he stated stubbornly, turning to look up at the service worker.

Immediately, Berwald's heart dropped. _This was never going to work. Maybe Tino was right._ Tino stepped forward and kneeled down to be at the boy's level. He offered his hand to shake, but the boy watched it with mistrust.

"Hello, you must be Peter," Tino greeted softly. "Berwald and I would like to take care of you, if you like." He spoke with a quiet voice, but in a dignified manner, trying to avoid using his baby voice.

Feeling the need to help, Berwald kneeled down too and tried to smile. Instantly, Peter's demeanor changed. Hesitantly he took a step toward him, holding out his arms. With careful movements, Berwald opened his arms and Peter threw himself into them. The two new parents looked at each other in surprise.

"Are you my new Papa and Mama?" Peter asked as he pulled his face away from Berwald's chest.

"If you'll let us," Berwald replied.

Tino opened his mouth to correct Peter- he had _two _Papas- but decided against it when he saw the content look on his husband's face as he embraced Peter- their child. He gathered Peter's bag of belongings and stood up.

"If everything's in order, may we take Peter home?" he asked, speaking to the social worker.

The worker confirmed that they were all set to go. Reluctantly, Peter pulled away from Berwald and took Tino's free hand. He walked between his new parents, holding both of their hands. They walked back to the car slowly, so Peter had a chance to say goodbye to other children they passed.

"I can't wait to see my new house Mama," Peter exclaimed, looking to Tino.

Tino's brow raised in surprise. _Mama? _He was Mama? He wasn't that feminine was he? But Tino decided he didn't mind being called Mama. Berwald did call him his wife after all.

Both parents were surprised at how quickly Peter had warmed up to them. The social worker had warned them that the little boy had been neglected and as a result, was slow to trust. It also caused him to be rather clingy once he did become attached to someone. But it looked like they would all get along just fine.

For now.

Very quickly, the new parents learned that Peter was very chatty. Within minutes of bringing him home for the first time, the house was filled with his endless babble. This was adorable at first, but quickly became a bit annoying; particularly as Peter was snuggled between Tino and Berwald's bodies in their bed.

It had been a particularly long day and Tino was ready to get some sleep. However, Berwald was a sweetheart and couldn't say 'no' to Peter (it was only the first day and this was already presenting a problem. Tino was going to have to discuss this with him). Tino didn't want this to become a nightly ritual.

Peter was mumbling tiredly to himself, half asleep (Berwald was completely out which Tino observed with some jealousy). Though Peter seemed to be adjusting quite well during the day, that night he started to fall apart. He started to get anxious about past trauma and the nightmares that would come if he slept. Tino knew this because Peter was freely speaking his worries. When they'd tried to tuck him into bed in his new room, Peter started to panic. In his fear, he turned to Berwald.

From the first moment that Peter had seen Berwald grin at him, he knew that he could protect him. With a past full of abandonment, Peter knew he needed someone strong and firm. He no longer trusted people like his new Mama, who were nice at first but then became neglectful as they grew tired of him. But Peter felt he could trust Papa, because Papa was strong and soft.

Unfortunately, at the moment, Papa was of little comfort. There was only Mama left awake and Peter could tell Mama didn't want him in their bed. Though Peter liked Mama, he wasn't sure Mama truly liked him. Mama was very nice, gentle, and more talkative than Papa. But Peter was afraid of rejection, because they hadn't bonded like he had with Papa.

Unknowingly, Peter was muttering his thoughts out loud in his sleepy chatter. "What if Mama doesn't like me? What if Mama sends me back?"

Tino stiffened at the words. It was only the first day and he'd already failed as a parent. His child already thought he didn't like him. Hesitantly, he reached out and placed a comforting hand in Peter's messy hair. The talking stopped immediately.

"I'm sorry Mama," he whispered in apology.

"Don't apologize," Tino replied seriously.

Peter felt the bed shift and Tino inched closer and wrapped his arms around him.

"It's okay to worry, honey. Don't apologize for that," Tino murmured. "You can always come to me and Papa if you feel hurt or scared. Because we already love you and want you to be happy."

Peter burrowed into his Mama's embrace, letting the comfort sweep over him. Lips touched the top of his head and Mama uttered an "I love you" before they both drifted off to sleep.

The next evening, Peter wasn't too afraid to sleep in his own bed.


	3. Chapter 3

In Which Berwald Goes to Work and Tino Stays Home

_(Peter is 4, two weeks after adoption)_

The first two weeks after Peter's adoption passed surprisingly well. Peter had been on his best behavior and liked his new parents. Mama laughed easy and listened to his every word with interest while Papa liked to play blocks and let him eat whatever he wanted.

But after the two weeks were over, Peter waddled bleary eyed into the kitchen to find Papa in a suit. Peter blinked at him confused. He hadn't seen his Papa in fancy clothes before. _'Today must be a special day,' _he thought to himself.

"Good morning Peter!" Mama greeted him cheerfully. "Want some breakfast?"

With a grunt, Peter slowly maneuvered over to the table where Papa sat and pulled himself onto the seat. Papa drank from a mug and ate a piece of toast while reading something from his phone. Moments later, Mama placed a plate of toast and eggs in front of him.

"You better get going Ber," Tino observed with a glance at the clock.

Reluctantly, Berwald grunted in agreement and stood up from the table. With his paternity leave over, he had to go back to work, something he didn't look forward to. It would also be the first time in two years that he would go without Tino. Berwald gave a quick kiss to his wife and Peter before gathering his bag and heading towards the door.

Peter watched with confusion. Where was his Papa going? He didn't want to be left alone with Mama. Was Papa coming back?

"Where's Papa going?" he asked with a small tremble in his voice.

Tino turned back to his child who was sitting at the table and looking miserable. He was also concerned about how his first day alone with Peter would go. Though Peter had warmed up to him better, he still didn't trust Tino like he did Berwald.

Tino did look forward to staying home and getting some housework done. Berwald always insisted on doing the majority of the chores and only letting Tino prepare breakfast. With Tino being home all day, he hoped to equalize the burden between the two of them.

"Papa is going to work. He took a break to be with you, but now he needs to go back," Tino explained as he took a seat to eat his own breakfast.

This answer did not please Peter. He looked down at his breakfast with a furrowed brow (that was absolutely adorable with his thick eyebrows as Tino observed).

"When will Papa be back?" he asked quietly, picking at his toast.

"He should be home around dinner time," Tino answered. In an effort to cheer Peter up, he added enthusiastically, "In the meantime, we get to spend all day together! Isn't that nice?"

Halfheartedly, Peter returned the enthusiasm with a "Yes, Mama."

It was going to be a long day waiting for Papa.

In the afternoon-after Peter had gotten dressed, brushed his teeth, made his bed, picked up his dirty clothes, played with his blocks, drew a picture for Papa which now hung on the fridge, eaten a sandwich for lunch, watched some cartoons, and played in the backyard with Hana- Tino remembered that he needed to pick up some things at the grocery store for dinner. So far the day had gone rather smoothly, but Tino noticed that Peter kept to himself and didn't interact much with his Mama. Granted, this allowed Tino to finish cleaning quickly and without many interruptions. But he had hoped that Peter would ask him to play.

"Peter, honey it's time to come inside," Tino called to him from the back door. Quickly, the little boy obeyed and ran inside. "We need to go to the store so I can make dinner. So we'll get to spend some time together!"

"Can I get a treat?" Peter asked eagerly.

Tino hesitated in answering. He didn't think Peter should be eating many treats, but Berwald had been allowing him to eat nearly as many as he wanted. "If you're good," Tino finally compromised. He didn't doubt that Peter would be well behaved- he'd been nothing less than perfect the past two weeks- but he wanted Peter to learn that he didn't get treats just because he asked.

This condition surprised Peter, but at least he could still get a treat. He'd been on his absolute best behavior the past two weeks. Motivated by the fear of losing his new parents, he was very careful and forced himself to be perfect. It wasn't fun and it wasn't himself, but Mama and Papa were more important to Peter, so he put up with it.

The ride to the store was quiet. Peter felt nervous with just Mama. Mama on the other hand was both enjoying and worrying about the quietness. Peter was never this quiet, but Tino eventually decided he was just trying extra hard to earn his treat.

Luckily, there weren't many things that needed purchasing. Tino picked up some lamb from the butcher, some fresh vegetables from the produce, and some milk from the dairy (he thought they were running low, however when he got home he discovered they already had three gallons). Peter followed Tino and helped him load items into the cart.

Just as they were passing the cereal aisle, Tino felt his phone buzzing. After fishing it out of his pocket he discovered it was his dear husband calling.

"Hello Ber! How's your day going?" Tino greeted cheerfully. He didn't realize it until now, but he missed being with Berwald constantly throughout the day.

"Good. T's odd workin' without'cha. Wonderin' how ye and Pet'r are doin'," Berwald answered.

As Tino began to explain what the two of them had been up to that day, Peter's eyes wandered down the cereal aisle. There wasn't any cereal at Mama and Papa's house. The bright graphics and sugary delicious promises caught his attention. He took a few steps from the cart, glancing at Mama for approval. Mama was busy talking on the phone, so he took his chance and rushed into the aisle.

Peter looked at all the varieties and all the boxes and all the possibilities. Then, he saw it: the one cereal he needed to have, _Waffle Crispies. _Each piece was shaped like a miniature waffle, covered in cinnamon, and frosted with maple flavored sugar glaze. Reverently, he pulled the box from the shelf and took it back to the cart. _Maybe if he put it in the cart, Mama wouldn't notice. _

Unfortunately, Mama's conversation quickly ended and he didnotice.

"What's this?" he asked as he pulled the box from the cart. Peter knew from the frown on his face that Mama wouldn't buy the _Waffle Crispies. _"I'm sorry dear, but we can't buy this today. Please put it back."

Peter knew he should do as his Mama said, so he wouldn't get angry. But he _needed_ this cereal. "Please, can we get it, Mama?" he begged.

The begging surprised Tino, but he still wasn't going to get the cereal. It was too sugary and expensive. "I said no, Peter. Put it back please."

Things went downhill from there.

"No. I want it!"

"We don't always get what we want, Peter. Put it back."

"Nooooooooo. Please Mama! I want it!"

"Peter, do what I asked!" Tino was beginning to lose his patience.

"Mamaaaaa. Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase!" Peter was now close to tears. A week of bottled up bad behavior was beginning to spill forth. He knew he shouldn't be doing this. But he couldn't stop.

"Peter, if you don't put that away right now, you won't get a treat."

In despair, Peter fell to the floor, crying. "Noo! Please! I want a treat!"

"That's it! You won't get a treat today!" Tino commanded firmly, putting the box of cereal on the shelf himself.

At this point, Peter started wailing and throwing his limbs wildly around him. Tino was shocked at this behavior and was extremely embarrassed that it was his kid throwing a fit in the super market. Other shoppers looked at the spectacle with curiosity, annoyance, or empathy. Fed up, Tino picked up the flailing child, carried him- still thrashing- with one arm, pushed the cart with the other, and hurried to the check out.

By the time Tino dragged Peter to the car, Peter's wails had stopped and he began to regret his mistake. Fear filled his little chest. That was it. Mama was angry. He didn't like Peter anymore. He'd tell Papa to get rid of him. Now, Peter began to cry silently, mourning the inevitable loss of his family.

Tino was unsure of what had gotten into Peter, but he had mostly cooled off by the time he started driving. Temper tantrums were something all kids did and all parents had to deal with. However, he was annoyed with his husband. Berwald had certainly not helped this behavior by giving Peter whatever he wanted. They were going to have a talk about that later.

Sniffling from the back seat took Tino away from thoughts of his husband. With a glance in the rearview mirror, he saw Peter in tears with his hands over his eyes. He was very upset over a box of cereal and a treat. Perplexed, Tino turned his attention back to the road.

Until he heard Peter mumble to himself, "Mama's gonna get rid of me now."

Immediately, Tino pulled to the side of the road, parked the car, and turned around.

"Honey, why do you think that?" he asked his boy, concerned. Once again, he felt guilty for being a poor parent.

Now that his crying had been discovered, Peter stopped trying to hide it. "B-because y-you're mad a-at me. I-I was b-bad at the s-store," he stammered through his sobs. "B-but I don't w-want to leave y-you and Papa!"

Tino unbuckled himself from the driver's seat and awkwardly climbed into the back. Gently, he pulled Peter from his booster seat and held him in his lap.

"Shh, don't cry honey," he murmured. "I'm not going to get rid of you. I'm disappointed that you were naughty at the store, but I'm not mad at you. Your Papa and I love you too much to send you back over something like that."

Peter gripped his Mama's sweater and cried with relief into his chest.

"Peter, is this why you've been so good?" Tino asked, with the sudden realization. He felt Peter nod his head against him. "Oh sweetheart, as happy as your Papa and I are when you're good, you don't need to be good all the time. We're not going to stop loving you just because of misbehavior."

Tino could feel Peter sag tiredly against him. The past two weeks must have been very difficult for him, if he'd been trying so hard to be good. When Peter had stopped crying, Mama asked if he had any more worries. Peter shook his head no and Mama put him back in his booster seat. After several minutes of being on the road again, Peter began making observations of buildings they passed. He was chatting like he did normally and Tino knew that he was feeling better.

To his delight, Peter didn't have to wait long after their trip to the grocery store for Papa to come home. Happily, Peter ran up and held his arms up to be picked up. Papa obliged and held him close. Mama was busy in the kitchen and gave Papa and Peter a kiss when they came in.

"How was the rest of yer day?" Berwald asked Tino.

Peter watched as Mama's eyes glance at him, deciding whether or not to tell Papa about the incident at the store. With a bright smile, Mama turned back to the stove and replied, "Fine. Just finished shopping and came home. Nothing interesting, right Peter?"

Peter blinked with confusion.

"Was 't that borin' Pet'r?" Papa asked him.

"Um," Peter began, "No. I- I liked spending time with Mama!"

With a small blush of pride, Mama turned back to his boys and affectionately ruffled Peter's hair. "I like spending time with you to."

Tino's discussion with Berwald could wait.

* * *

AN: Thanks to all those who favorited/followed/reviewed! It means a lot to me! Hope y'all enjoy this chapter too.

Heart,  
Allie


	4. Chapter 4

In Which Berwald and Tino Have a Party for Peter; Uncle Matthias is Invited

_(Peter is 4, three weeks after adoption) _

Peter was quite certain that he was going to explode from excitement, despite assurances from his Papa that exploding from excitement was, in fact, impossible. The past three weeks had been some of the happiest in his life. First, he acquired a new Mama and Papa. Then he started living in a new, pretty house (granted, the house did come with the parents). Now, he was going to meet _more _newfamily. And friends! There was no doubt in Peter's mind that the new people would be just as great as Mama and Papa.

All day, Papa was in the kitchen making a special dinner and Mama set the table with fancy dishes. Unfortunately, this special fanciness applied to how they dressed and Peter was forced into an uncomfortable button down shirt and khaki pants. As Mama dressed Peter, he reminded him that he couldn't play rough in his nice clothes.

So, Peter spent the hour before the party sitting impatiently in the living room with Mama and Papa. As the time for guests to arrive approached, Peter noticed Papa seemed a little anxious. Mama kept patting his arm comfortingly and listing off guests who were coming.

"Is Papa okay?" Peter asked Mama with a tug on his sweater.

After a slow confused blink, Tino glanced at his husband and laughed. "Papa's fine, Peter. He just is concerned about having Uncle Matthias over," he explained with a smile.

Berwald grumbled something under his breath that Peter didn't catch. Peter was excited to meet Uncle Matthias, partially because Matthias was the only uncle he had, but mostly because of the stories Berwald told about him. Of course, Peter didn't realize these stories were meant to be a warning about Uncle Matthias rather than praise for how fun he was.

Right on cue, there was an erratic knock at the door. Peter ran from the living room with his Mama following behind and pulled open the door. Standing before him were three male blonde guests; two grown-ups and one kid. Before Peter can greet them, he is swept up by strong arms.

"Peter! Geez, look how cute ye are! I can't believe I have a nephew! We're gonna have so much fun!" A loud voice bellowed as Peter was crushed into firm, broad chest.

In panic, Peter cried out. The suddenness frightened him and he didn't feel safe in these arms. Instantly, Mama pulled Peter away and held him at his hip. With gratitude, Peter gripped the always present and comforting sweater and let Mama take it from there.

"Peter, this is your Uncle Matthias," Mama introduced, gesturing to the loud grown up.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare ye," Matthias apologized, this time his voice was quieter, but just as enthusiastic.

Matthias smiled brightly at Peter and gave him a kiss on the cheek. The panic had settled and after a glance at his Mama, Peter held his arms out to Matthias. He was taken back into Matthias's strong arms (they were even stronger than _Papa's_).

"All right buddy, let me introduce you to my little family," Matthias said, turning them around to the others waiting in the doorway. Peter had nearly forgotten them. "This is Uncle Lukas and his little brother Emil! He's about your age."

The slim blond man with the hairclip glared at Matthias. "We're not married, I'm not his uncle," he protested. His voice was low and soft. Peter felt uncertain about him and was now confused about what he should call this man who was not his uncle, but was a part of Matthias's family.

"Oh come on Lukas," Matthias pestered. When the firm expression on Lukas's face didn't change, Matthias whispered in Peter's ear, "You should call him Uncle Lukas anyway."

Clearly having heard them, Lukas rolled his eyes. He tugged at his arm and pulled forward the pale haired child who must've been Emil. In Emil's hand, clutched to his chest, was a stuffed bird with a neat bow tied around its neck.

"Say hello, Little One," Lukas gently prodded.

Peter waved enthusiastically at him, excited to have someone his age around. But the boy looked back up at him with a bored expression on his face. However, Peter didn't give up yet and decided Emil was must be shy.

"What's that bird?" Peter asked with curiosity.

The little hand holding the bird clutched it tighter to his chest. "His name is Mr. Puffin and he is my best friend! Besides Lukas," he answered defensively.

Peter didn't quite understand the defensive behavior, but before anything else could be done he was handed back to his Mama and new guests replaced Uncle Matthias, Uncle Lukas, and Emil. Mama quickly introduced them as some of Berwald's cousins: Lars, his sister Bella, Vash, and his little sister Lili. To Peter's excitement, Lili was 6, which meant he had another person his age to play with. However, her older brother Vash was very protective of her (Peter figured it was because they looked so similar, with the same bright green eyes and short blond hair). The tall man named Lars reminded Peter of his Papa, because he was very scary looking too and didn't say much. His sister Bella was very nice though. She gave Peter a kiss on the cheek and told him he was cute.

The last guests who came were friends of Mama's. There was a nervous man in glasses named Eduard, who used to live with Mama, and a very fancy looking couple. The lady's name was Elizabeta and she fawned over Peter and Mama and inquired after 'that handsome Swede of yours'. Her husband, Roderich looked regal and rather uncomfortable. Peter could understand the feeling. With all the new faces, names and personalities, he was starting to feel a little overwhelmed (but still excited!).

Eventually, they all managed to fit around the small table in the kitchen. Papa was sure to place himself in between Peter and Uncle Matthias and Mama sat on his other side. Dinner was very fancy. Peter wasn't exactly sure what he was eating, but he liked it. The other guests liked it too. Peter was surprised; he didn't know his Papa could cook so well.

There was a lot of talking. Tino and Elizabeta were in a deep conversation that sometimes included Roderich and Eduard. Matthias kept asking Peter lots of questions about himself and Peter was very happy to answer them. He held the attention of his two uncles and cousin Bella with his honest and rambling answers. Never before had he held the attention of so many grown-ups.

After the young ones had finished eating and started fidgeting in their seats, Mama suggested that Peter go outside and play with his new friends.

"But Mama, you said I couldn't play in my nice clothes," Peter protested, confused. He did want to play, but he didn't want to get in trouble.

A round of giggles and 'aws' erupted from the table. Peter didn't understand why, he hadn't said anything particularly cute or funny.

With a faint blush Mama excused his previous instruction. "It's fine honey."

Immediately, Uncle Matthias laughed once again. "Yep! I can see why you're Mama!" He teased Tino. Peter looked between the two, confused. Was Peter wrong in calling Tino, Mama? He knew his Mama wasn't a girl, but did that really matter?

"Matthias, thanks for volunteering to watch the kids!" Tino replied sweetly.

Matthias blinked with surprise before laughing. "Alright, alright. C'mon kids, we're going to have waaaay more fun than those boring adults."

Again, Peter didn't quite understand what had happened, but was excited to play with his Uncle. Eagerly, Peter, Emil, and Lili scooted off their chairs and scurried to the backyard with the evidently awesome and fun Uncle Matthias.

The backyard was covered in soft grass with a sectioned off corner for Papa's garden that was lined with rocks. A soft white fence enclosed the space and random dog toys and balls were scattered around (Peter was _supposed _to pick those up before the party, but he forgot).

The fluffy white dog, Hana, was excited to see people joining her and jumped enthusiastically at their legs. With a shriek, Lili stepped back and Emil held Mr. Puffin above his head and away from the danger.

"Ah! I don't like dogs!" Lili cried as Hana followed her whenever she tried to run away.

"Hana! Hana sit! No! Hana!" Peter frantically struggled to calm down the dog.

Luckily, Uncle Matthias came to the rescue. "Whoa there dog! I think it's time for ye to go inside!" he said playfully and easily picked up the pup. Peter helped him put Hana back inside so they could play in peace.

"So, what should we do?" Peter asked once the danger of the dog was gone. He directed his question at Lili (as the oldest of the children, she was the natural leader for the group).

"We should all play a game!" Lili suggested in her soft voice.

"Yes!" Peter agreed instantly.

The two of them looked to Emil who shrugged his shoulders.

"So, what should we play?" Peter asked. He was very eager, but also wanted his new friends to be happy so they would like him. This left him in a predicament as to what they should play.

Lili seemed at a loss as well and Emil was ignoring both of them and sitting on the grass talking quietly to Mr. Puffin. Once again, Uncle Matthias came to the rescue.

"I have an idea guys, if you'll let me play with you," Matthias interjected.

Both Peter and Lili enthusiastically agreed that he could join them. Even Emil looked up with interest at the suggestion.

"Okay, here's what we can do," Matthias began as he picked up a kickball on the ground. "You guys run back and forth across the lawn, while I sit here and try to hit you with the ball."

Despite it being a quickly improvised game, the young ones thought it was the most exciting thing they'd ever heard of. Lili and Peter immediately agreed to play. Nervously, Emil bit his lip. He thought it sounded dangerous. Matthias sensed his hesitancy and suggested that he be the ball retriever. Emil agreed and Matthias sat himself down beside him and Mr. Puffin.

"Alright, you guys ready?" Matthias asked, holding the ball in the air and wearing a mischievous smile.

With shrieks of excitement, the two rushed away and the game began. Very quickly, they learned that Matthias had excellent aim. In no time they were rolling on the ground, erupting in giggles and yelps. Dutifully, Emil retrieved the ball and the process repeated itself. Lili and Peter's paths around the garden were erratic and they often bumped into each other. But this only made the game more fun. Smugly, Matthias felt he'd invented the most entertaining game that required very little physical effort from him. _It was brilliant. _

Until, of course, someone got hurt.

To make the game more challenging Peter and Lili began moving further back, closer to the garden. Matthias's throws became harder and the game more dangerous.

The incident occurred when Lili and Peter nearly crossed paths again. Peter stopped short and avoided running into her. But in that moment, Matthias threw the kickball. With wide eyes Peter watched in terror as the ball sailed towards his head. _Smack!_ The force of the ball knocked Peter over and the back of his head whacked against the rock border of the garden. After a dazed moment, he sat up, the whole garden spinning as he did. His nose felt funny and warmth was dripping down his face. Slowly, Peter's face and head began to sting and he couldn't hold back tears.

"Damn!" Matthias exclaimed as he hurried over to his nephew. "I'm so sorry Peter! I didn't mean to do that!"

"Are you okay, Peter?" Lili asked with a shaky voice.

Lili and Emil stood behind Matthias and watched worriedly. Emil had even abandoned Mr. Puffin (in the moment, Peter failed to realize what a sign of friendship that was). All the attention and hurt was too much for Peter and he started crying for his Papa. Carefully he was scooped up into Matthias's arms and carried towards the house with the little ones following behind.

All the adults were sitting in the living room chatting. Silence fell over the room as Matthias stepped inside with one hurt and two frightened children. Immediately, Tino jumped out of his seat and ran to Peter. Peter was handed over to his Mama, still crying and asking for Papa.

"Peter, honey, what's wrong?" Mama asked with concern as he grabbed a tissue to stop the nosebleed.

"Matthias, what happ'ned?" Berwald asked, standing up. He glared at his brother, already suspecting it was his fault.

"We were just playing a game-" Matthias began with a cringe, preparing for the wrath of his brother.

Unfortunately, Lili and Emil cut in and finished the story for him.

"He hit Peter with the ball!" Emil stated honestly.

"And Peter fell over and started bleeding!" Lili cried.

All eyes were on Matthias, including Tino who had placed Peter on the counter and was inquiring after places that hurt. Suddenly, all the adults started talking at once, demanding to know what happened and questioning Matthias's common sense.

"What on earth were you doing?"

"You're such an idiot Matthias. How did that seem like a good idea?"

"It's all fun and games until someone gets hut."

"Is Peter going to be okay?"

Though he was not happy with his brother at the moment, Berwald ignored him in favor of helping his wife comfort their son. Peter was holding the tissue to his nose as instructed, silent tears running down his cheeks. Tino stood behind him and inspected the bump on the back of his head. Berwald placed a comforting hand on his knee.

"Y'alright?" Berwald asked softly.

After a moment's hesitation, Peter nodded. Berwald glanced up at Tino, who was giving Peter's bump a healing kiss.

"It's just a little booboo, nothing to worry about honey! Now let's check your nose," Tino murmured comfortingly.

"Don't get mad at Matthias," Peter mumbled as Berwald carefully removed the tissue hand from his face.

"What was that?" Tino asked, inspecting the nose for damage. Seeing none, he began to gently wipe the drying blood off his son's face.

Louder, Peter tried again. "Don't get mad at Uncle Matthias. It was a fun game."

Peter's parents looked at each other with looks of surprise. Behind them was Matthias who had heard the whole exchange and was blushing fiercely. His little nephew was defending him right after being hurt. Cautiously, Matthias approached the little family.

"It's okay, Uncle Matthias," Peter repeated before he'd had the chance to apologize again. His voice trembled a little from the crying and stinging pain, but he was firm. "Mama says I'm going to be okay and it was a really fun game."

Matthias grinned at him. "Thanks bud. But let's not play that game again, okay?"

With a glum look, Peter agreed and his parents continued to patch him up.

It was also agreed that Matthias wouldn't be given sole charge of the children again.

* * *

AN: Hello dear readers! Once again I'd like to thank you for your support! You guys are awesome. Thanks for reading.

This chapter didn't come as easily as the others, but hopefully it wasn't too painful to read.

Let me know what you think!

-Allie


	5. Chapter 5

In Which Berwald and Tino Have a Loud Discussion

_(Peter is 4, two months into adoption)_

Tino didn't bring up the issue of different parenting styles with Berwald until two months into their parenthood. They had previously discussed Berwald's spoiling of Peter briefly and Berwald's behavior improved. However, a week later Berwald fell back into his bad parenting habits. By one month, it was reflecting in Peter's behavior. Despite his best efforts, Tino couldn't enforce better behavior in either of his boys. He couldn't blame Peter- which isn't to say there weren't consequences for his 'naughty' behavior, but he didn't get very upset with him. Most of his frustration was focused on his dear husband.

The last straw came in the middle of month two.

"Now Peter, you can have your cookie when you eat the rest of your potatoes," Tino said patiently.

Peter squirmed in his seat and pushed the plate containing only cheesy potatoes away, his face screwed up in a pout. "I don't want the potatoes! They're icky!"

Beside Tino, Berwald sighed. They'd finished eating nearly 15 minutes ago and were a little tired of negotiating with their stubborn little boy.

With a shrug of his shoulders, Tino sat back in his chair. "Alright. Then you won't get the cookie."

Peter crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at his plate. "No. I want the cookie."

"Then e't yer dinner!" Berwald commanded with exasperation. But Peter didn't make a move to obey.

No longer willing to play this game, Tino stood up and picked up Peter's plate. "I'm going to save your plate in the fridge. When you're ready to eat it, you can have the cookie. But not until then."

Dejectedly, Peter slid off his seat and toddled out of the dining room as Tino got busy clearing the table and starting the dishes.

"'E's done this ev'ry day this week," Berwald murmured into his wife's ear as he pulled him into an embrace from behind.

Tino's body relaxed into the cuddle and he halted his cleaning. He twisted himself around so he was facing Berwald and kissed him. Tino was absolutely positive that this behavior was a result of Berwald's spoiling. However, it had been a long week for everyone. Now was probably not the time to have an argument with Berwald. Tino didn't want to prolong the discussion, but everyone was feeling a little short of temper. So, it would have to wait just a little more.

* * *

When Berwald went into Peter's room to tell him to get ready for bed, he found him in tears. It seemed Peter was still upset about not having a cookie. With a sigh, Berwald reminded him that he could have a cookie if he ate his potatoes. But, Peter was still unwilling to eat them.

"Th-they're so g-gross!" he sobbed, "Th-they make me w-wanna throw up."

Berwald took a seat beside him on his little bed and rubbed his back comfortingly. In search of security, Peter leaned into his Papa. _He's so upset over a silly cookie, _Berwald thought. In his mind, there was no need for it. He understood what Tino was trying to do, but if Peter was sobbing over it… Surely this wasn't necessary.

"Here," Berwald muttered finally, picking up Peter and taking him to the kitchen. "Don' tell yer Ma."

* * *

"Honey, have you seen Peter?" Tino called out as he walked towards the kitchen. He was supposed to be getting ready for bed.

But as soon as he entered the kitchen, he found Berwald and Peter, with a cookie his hand, sitting at the table. Both looked guiltily away from Tino as he stood in the doorway. Instantly, Tino could feel his temper rising.

"Peter, did you decide to eat your potatoes?" he asked sweetly.

(_Too sweetly, _Berwald noted.)

Peter's eyes widened and he shook his head no. "Papa said I could have it," he accused quickly with bits of cookie still in his mouth. A small hand pointed a finger to Berwald.

It was just as Tino suspected. With a sigh of frustration, he glared at his husband. "Peter dearest, go get your pajamas on. You can take the cookie with you," he commanded carefully, keeping his tone calm. He wasn't upset with his son. He was upset with his son's father.

As soon as Peter was down the hall, Berwald stood up. "Tino, 'e was cryin'," he explained.

Tino crossed his arms tightly over his chest. "That's the point Ber. He needs to learn there are consequences to his actions. If you keep giving him whatever he wants, he'll never learn. It's why he's been more difficult lately!" He stated with annoyance.

"It's been a h'rd week," Berwald began, taking a few steps closer to his wife.

"I understand that Berwald!" Tino snapped, "But if you want to do something like this, you can't just go behind my back. You're undermining my authority. You and Peter both aren't respecting me when something like this happens."

"I do resp'ct ye!" Berwald snapped back. His jaw clenched with frustration. That accusation stung. "Yer changin' the topic!" He accused.

"No I'm not!" Tino cried, his composure snapped. His hands flew to his sides in fists and he moved forward, closing the distance between them. He stood on his toes to make himself more on eyelevel with his tall companion. "That's the problem! You don't realize the damage you're doing!" He lifted his hand and jabbed Berwald's chest accusingly. He was yelling now. "We're supposed to be equal partners in this! I know that you're only trying to make Peter happy because you feel bad for him, but this isn't the way to do it. What you're doing now-"

"Yer the one tryin' to be the perf'ct parent!" Berwald retorted angrily. "But ye can't force Pet'r t' be perf'ct."

"I'm not trying to force him to be perfect! I'm trying to stop _you _from ruining him!" Tino hollered back.

"Yer only jealous th't Pet'r loves me!" Berwald spat, instantly regretting the words as he saw the hurt expression on Tino's face. "T'no, I-"

But Tino had already stumbled backward a few steps. He opened his mouth to say something, but his mouth snapped shut, he turned around and stormed out of the kitchen. He brushed past Peter, who stood in the hallway dressed in his pajamas with tears running down his face.

"Mama?" He whispered to Tino's retreating back as he marched up the stairs.

Berwald snapped out of his stupor and followed his wife out of the kitchen. He stopped when he saw his crying child, who had clearly heard their argument. Slowly, he leaned over to pick him up. Little hands clung to his shirt instantly.

"Papa, is Mama angry at me?" he asked, his voice trembling. "I ate the cookie."

"No," Berwald sighed, all of his anger gone. "Ma's ups't with me."

Loud steps echoed down the stairs. Tino was in his night clothes and was holding a blanket and his pillow in his arms. He passed the pair in the hallway, without making eye contact and made his way to the living room. The message was clear: he was very upset with his husband and wouldn't be sharing his bed that night.

"Pet'r, would ya like to sleep with me t'night?" he asked to distract the child in his arms. Peter slowly nodded his head in affirmation, eyes still towards the living room.

* * *

They'd had several fights since their relationship began. However, they'd all been resolved quickly and apologies were always made by the next day. So, when Berwald went downstairs the next morning, he was prepared to say he was sorry. Breakfast was waiting for Peter and him on the table and Tino was busy cleaning up the dishes neglected the night before.

But when Berwald came in and sat down, Tino made no move to greet or acknowledge him. Peter followed a few moments later and Tino welcomed him with even more enthusiasm than normal. But he still refused to look at Berwald.

Berwald observed that his eyes were a little puffy and there were dark circles under them. _He's not slept and he's been crying, _Berwald realized. He felt another wave of guilt. As hard as he tried to hide it, Tino was clearly still very upset. Berwald wanted to pull him into his arms and make him feel better, but he didn't know if Tino was open to that yet.

When Berwald stood up and kissed Peter goodbye before going to work, Tino didn't offer him a farewell. Berwald moved beside him and tried to kiss him, but Tino moved and Berwald kissed the side of his head instead. It was clear that Tino wasn't ready to make up yet. To his surprise, Berwald found this very irritating and he went to work feeling frustrated.

At lunchtime, Berwald would have normally called his wife and ask how his day was going. However, today he felt unsure if such a call would be welcome. Halfheartedly he tried, but Tino snapped that he didn't have time to talk. In the background, Berwald could hear Peter crying- hurt crying, not 'I-didn't-get-my-way' crying. So Berwald went back to work feeling disappointed and worried.

In his mind, he reviewed their argument. He knew his last comment was what had sent Tino over the edge. But Tino had said some hurtful things to Berwald as well. _He _accused _Berwald _of ruining Peter. How could Tino know that for certain? Berwald saw very little wrong with how he dealt with their son. So Berwald spent the rest of work stewing and making himself upset all over again.

An hour and a half before it was time for Berwald to head home, he got a call- not from Tino, but from his brother Matthias. With a great sigh, he reluctantly answered the phone. This was the last thing he needed at the moment.

"'lo," he greeted agitatedly.

"Hey bro!" Matthias greeted back loudly. "So, you and the fam will be coming over to my place for dinner tonight. Sound good?"

_No, it does not sound good, _Berwald thought. He was certain that Tino would agree and Matthias was much more likely to listen to Tino rather than him. "H've ye talked t' Tino?" he asked with a sigh.

On the other end of the line Matthias laugh. "Of course! Talked to him first! Otherwise ye'd never come over," Matthias explained. "Tino told me to tell ye."

Berwald thought the only reason Tino would want to go to dinner at a time like this was to avoid further contention with him. Or perhaps Tino agreed because he knew it would annoy Berwald.

He slumped in his seat and ran his hand tiredly over his face. "All right," he finally answered.

"Sweet. See ye later Berry!"

The line went dead and Berwald rested his head on his hands.

"Yo, Berry, something wrong?" his cubicle partner, Gilbert asked.

Remembering he wasn't alone, Berwald turned to glance at Gilbert. Gilbert's devilish grin and piercing red eyes gave him an overall mischievous and mistrusting look (Berwald figured it was nature's way of warning people about his obnoxious personality).Gilbert Beilschmidt had been reassigned to him once Tino quit. However, this time around, he seemed _slightly_ better behaved, though still very loud.

When Berwald made no effort to respond to his coworker, Gilbert chucked a small, bright yellow, stuffed bird at his head. "Hey, are you alright?" he asked once again. This time he sounded more concerned. "I can go get Ludwig if-"

"'m fine," Berwald answered firmly. He picked up the little bird that normally resided on Gilbert's computer and tossed it back at him (perhaps with more force than was strictly necessary).

"Alright! Alright!" his partner returned defensively, cupping the stuffed bird gently in his hands. "Just askin'. No need to be violent with little Gilbird."

Berwald's day was slowly getting worse.

Once home again, Berwald found Tino and Peter all ready to go to Uncle Matthias's. With little bounces around his legs, Peter told Berwald about his day as he took off his jacket and tie. Tino stayed downstairs by the front door.

"I can't wait to go to Uncle Matthias's! And play with Emil!" he chattered.

"Hmm," Berwald responded. As cute as Peter could be, some days it was difficult to listen to him talk incessantly.

"But I don't think I'll play with Uncle Lukas. He's grouchy," Peter said thoughtfully. He stopped hopping and frowned. "Today Mama was grouchy like Uncle Lukas. He _pretended _to be happy, but I could tell."

"Hmm," Berwald responded again.

"Do you and Mama need to say you're sorry?" Peter asked, "Because if you've had a fight you're _always _supposed to say you're sorry."

Berwald didn't respond to this. _Am I being scolded by my 4 year old? _He wondered with amusement. Unfortunately, the child was right. He did need to apologize to Tino. But Tino wasn't letting him. Which upset Berwald and made him less obliged to apologize first.

The short trip to Matthias's place was dead silent. The tension between the fighting couple was _very _palpable. So palpable that Peter didn't even dare break the silence. Tino had yet to make eye contact with Berwald all day and kept this up by gazing out the window. Before Berwald had even finished parking the car, Tino was out of it and was helping Peter out too.

Matthias opened the door before they had a chance to knock and greeted them enthusiastically. From behind him, Lukas muttered a hello. Instantly, Tino's attitude flipped; he was cheerful and bubbly. Even more so than usual. Berwald stood back and watched. It was too exciting for him.

"Hey Matthias! Lukas! It's good to see you!" he greeted as he accepted a hug from Matthias. "Where's the Little One? Peter's been wanting to play with him," He continued as he shook Lukas's hand.

"Yes! I want to play with Emil!" Peter repeated, bouncing around Matthias, Lukas, and Tino.

With a laugh, Matthias scooped him up. "Come on, Peter! You don't want to play with me?" But before Peter could answer, he was attacked with tickles.

"Ah! Stop it Uncle Matthias! I can play with you too!" Peter managed out with a breathy voice.

Matthias waved them inside and Berwald finally stepped through the doorway. With Peter on his hip, Matthias moved from the entryway to the kitchen.

"So what's up kiddo?" he asked.

Peter glanced backwards to his parents with a concerned look on his face. Hesitantly, he turned back to Matthias. Reaching up, he whispered in his ear (while also being poked by his pokey hair). "Papa and Mama are fighting."

Surprised, Matthias pulled back and looked behind at the couple in question. To Matthias, they seemed fine- Tino looked as happy as ever and Berwald looked as grumpy as ever. The two of them had always been the perfect couple. But Peter seemed really concerned, so Matthias decided he'd have to do something about it after they ate.

"Don't worry about it, Peter," he reassured. "Do you like pasta?" He asked to distract him.

At the entry way, Lukas came forward and offered his hand to Berwald in greeting. Being more observant than Matthias, he'd noticed the tension between Tino and Berwald immediately. With a knowing glance, he looked from Berwald to Tino who was following Matthias to the dining room.

"Something wrong?" he asked Berwald quietly, as the other's headed towards the dinner table. His voice was curious, but not concerned.

With a grunt, Berwald followed the others to the table.

After dinner, Emil and Peter wandered off to play. The adults moved to the living room and sat in awkward conversation. Tino and Berwald sat on the couch, several inches apart, across from Matthias and Lukas who sat on the love seat. The only one doing much talking was Matthias. Sometimes Tino would occasionally offer overly cheerful remarks or Lukas would speak up to correct his boyfriend. Berwald remained silent and brooding.

Finally, Lukas was fed up with the awkwardness. He nudged Matthias with a significant glance at Berwald and subtly gestured to the stairs. Matthias, though generally not very observant, had learned to read Lukas's subtlety and understood.

Immediately he stood up. "Hey Berry, let's go check on the kids. They've been pretty quiet. You know how dangerous that is."

In answer, Berwald gave Matthias his best glare. Anyone else would pee their pants at the sight, but Matthias took it as a 'yes' and tried to pull him from the room. The glare that Tino gave him was what finally made Berwald go willingly.

As soon as the two were up the stairs Matthias stopped and put a hand on Berwald's shoulder. "So, tell me what you've done to make Peter so worried about you," he demanded. "What did you and Tino fight about?"

Berwald cringed at the statement (and at the contact with his obnoxious brother). This was not who he wanted to talk to about this. However, the whole situation was really getting out of hand. If even Peter was so worried about it, maybe he should talk about it.

* * *

Lukas and Tino had never had a close relationship. Tino liked Lukas and was happy that he got along with Berwald well, but the two of them had never talked much together. Sometimes, Tino wondered if Lukas thought he was too cheerful or annoying. This wasn't the case, as Lukas was very fond of Tino, because of Tino's way with Little One. Lukas just didn't show fondness very well.

So Tino was very surprised when Lukas moved to sit next to him when Berwald and Matthias left. Hesitantly, Lukas put a hand on his shoulder. With wide eyes, Tino looked at him confused. Lukas wore a slight frown and watched him carefully. Tino wasn't sure why, but his overly cheerful front suddenly broke down and he felt close to tears. Embarrassed, he turned away quickly.

"Is something wrong with you and Berwald?" Lukas asked.

* * *

"Wow bro. Ye sure can be a dick," Matthias noted after Berwald finished telling him about the argument.

Berwald's head hung in shame. "'m angry with m'self more than 'm angry with Tino," he muttered with frustration. "But Tino won' let me apol'gize."

A hand clapped on his shoulder. Grudgingly, he glanced at his brother, who was smiling. He hated to admit it, but talking with Matthias had helped Berwald sort out his feelings.

"You're in luck Berry," Matthias said encouragingly, "I am the king of apologizing when apologies are not welcome. Hafta do it with Lukas all the time. He can be pretty touchy." To both brother's surprise, Berwald chuckled. "Okay, so here's what ye gotta do…"

* * *

"And Ber's been upset with me all day," Tino sobbed into his hands. "I-I just don't know what to do. I'm just so a-angry and h-hurt." He glanced sideways at Lukas who was awkwardly patting his back. "How could he have said that to me? H-he knows how worried I am about P-Peter l-loving m-me."

In response, Lukas merely hummed sympathetically. He wasn't comfortable trying to comfort someone other than his Little One. Tino's sudden outpouring of emotion was unsettling for Lukas, someone who didn't like to show much feeling himself.

"Has he apologized?" Lukas asked.

With a sniffle, Tino shook his head. "I haven't let him. I-I don't know if I can f-forgive him yet."

"Well that's a little childish if you haven't even let him try."

The tears suddenly halted and Tino straightened up to look at Lukas in surprise. Lukas looked back at him, impassive as ever. He shrugged as if to say 'I'm just saying'. But before Tino could defend himself, they were interrupted.

"Tino?" a voice Tino knew very well came from the stairs.

With a gasp, Tino looked over and saw a very pitiful looking Berwald beside a triumphant Matthias. The sight of him made Tino's anger resurface. Obligingly, Lukas stood up as Berwald rushed across the room to his wife, who had clearly been crying. He sat down beside Tino and put a comforting hand on his knee. Unfortunately, the comfort was unwelcome; Tino pulled his arm back and his fist connected with Berwald's face.

"How could you have said that to me?" he yelled angrily.

Suddenly, all of Tino's aggression was gone. With this release, Tino burst back into sobs. Berwald cupped his injured face with a stunned expression. After a moment, he pulled Tino into him arms and let him cry into his chest.

"'m sorry. Shouldn'ta said it. 'm sorry. I didn' mean it. 'm so sorry," Berwald whispered repeatedly to him.

Lukas gave the couple some privacy and retreated back to Matthias at the bottom of the stairs. Matthias was looking quite pleased with himself. He grinned smugly at Lukas and threw his arm around his waist.

"I should go into couples counseling!" he decided, gesturing to the pair now kissing on his couch.

With a snort, Lukas replied, "It was all me. You're an idiot."

The grin on Matthias's face got bigger. "Yes, but you love me anyway," he declared before planting a quick kiss on his lover's lips.

Lukas pulled back with the slightest smile. "Hmm. I suppose."

* * *

Peter was very happy to find that on the drive back to their house, Mama and Papa weren't angry anymore. They both looked much happier and were holding hands all the way home. Peter was a little concerned about Mama's blotchy face and Papa's swelling cheek.

But they were smiling.

* * *

AN: Well, this was surprisingly fun to write! I hope nobody seemed too OoC.

Thanks so much for all of you who've read, reviewed, favorited, or followed! I really appreciate it! You guys are the bestest readers ever.

Love,

Allie


	6. Chapter 6

In Which Peter and Tino are Sick

_(Peter is 4, approximately 5 months after adoption)_

Lili was Peter's favorite cousin. She was always very nice and always shared. However, Tino wished that she hadn't been so good at sharing when he received a call from Vash the day after a play date, informing Tino that Lili was sick the flu. Unfortunately, children could share germs better than they could share anything else. Tino was quite certain that within a few days, Peter would fall ill as well.

Exactly two days later, Peter came toddling into the kitchen sleepily an hour later than usual. With confusion, he looked around for Papa and Mama, who were not there.

"Mama?" he called out in panic.

"Are you finally up, Peter?" Mama answered, emerging from the living room. He knelt in front of Peter and touched his forehead; it was warm. "How are you feeling?"

Blearily, Peter looked at Mama. "I feel funny," he answered. He held out his arms as a sign of wanting to be held. After being swept into his Mama's arms, he snuggled tiredly into his chest.

"Do you hurt anywhere? What feels funny?" Mama inquired, noting Peter's lack of energy and need to be snuggled.

"My head hurts. And my tummy is weird," he complained softly.

Tino nodded sympathetically and rubbed comforting circles on his back. As predicated, Peter caught the flu. A bit of panic rose in Tino's chest, but he forced himself to remain calm. It wasn't anything he couldn't handle, just something he was a little inexperienced in.

"Are you feeling well enough to eat something?" Tino asked. He felt Peter nod against him. "Okay, let's try something easy on your stomach, like toast. Does that sound alright?" Once again, Peter nodded.

With a little grunt of effort, Tino stood up with Peter still in his arms and gently placed in a chair at the table. When Tino was a child, his mother always made him tea when he was sick. Remembering this, he put the kettle on to boil as well. As he waited for the toast to pop, he searched for the thermometer which was kept with the band aids in the linen closet. Before finishing breakfast, Tino instructed Peter to keep the thermometer in his mouth while he finished. Tino noted that Peter didn't ask why.

When the plate of toast and cup of tea were placed before him and the thermometer removed, Peter slowly began eating. The temperature read 101 degrees. _So definitely a fever, _Tino thought, _But nothing too serious yet. _He made a mental note to keep an eye on that. In ten minutes, Peter was staring off into space and had only touched half of his toast. That was good enough for Tino, who cleared the plate away.

"Why don't we watch a movie?" Tino asked.

Peter nodded. "Will you sit with me?" he asked.

"Of course honey," Tino replied easily.

The two of them spent the rest of the morning on the couch. Peter curled up in a blanket and rested his head on Mama's lap. He couldn't focus on the TV, but the distraction was nice. Mama's fingers ran through his hair and gently massaged his scalp. Peter liked the soothing sensation of the cool hands on his warm head. Frequently, Mama made him sit up and drink some tea and when the cup of tea was finished, water.

By noon Peter had fallen asleep. Carefully, Tino picked him up and carried him back to his bed so he could rest more comfortably. Though Tino had yet to get to any of the errands he'd planned on, he couldn't stop worrying long enough to focus on much. He flitted around the kitchen, not really accomplishing anything.

When Berwald called at the usual time, Tino was relieved.

"Ber," he sighed into the phone.

"'lo Tino. 'S everythin' alright?" his husband replied, sensing the distress.

"Peter's caught Lili's flu," Tino explained. Berwald hummed in response. "Ber, I-I'm not sure what to do. He's miserable and not himself." He launched into an explanation of their son's symptoms and the things he'd done to help. Berwald listened carefully and didn't interrupt.

"'s not much more ye can do," Berwald replied after Tino had finished. "'M sure yer doin' everythin' ye can do. 'll be home soon n' help."

Tino nodded. "Stop by the store and get some ginger ale and soda crackers. I don't want to feed him anything that might upset his stomach. Oh, and we're out of children's Tylenol."

By the time Berwald got home, Peter still hadn't gotten up again. Tino's worry was skyrocketing at this point and was grateful his husband came home early to help him take care of their child. A plastic grocery bag filled the requested items hung from Berwald's hand when he entered the kitchen. At the table Tino was waiting, tapping his foot with worry.

"How's he?" Berwald asked, setting the bag down and kissing his wife's cheek.

"He's been asleep for a few hours now," Tino replied. "But I think it's time to wake him up. He hasn't eaten since breakfast and I'd like to check his temperature."

With a nod Berwald agreed and both parents headed up stairs.

A gentle hand on his shoulder pulled Peter out of a hazy sleep. Blearily, he blinked and found his Papa sitting at the edge of his bed with Mama standing behind him. Weakly, he muttered hello. There was a pounding ache in his head, he felt hot, and he wanted to go back to sleep. But Papa wouldn't let him sleep and stuck a thermometer in his mouth. While waiting, Papa's calloused hand caressed his face. The thermometer beeped, Papa took it, and checked the temperature.

"103," Papa muttered to Mama. Both looked concerned at the number, but Peter didn't understand what it meant.

"How're ye feelin'?" Papa asked him. "Do ye feel better er worse than this morning?"

Peter's face screwed up in a grimace and he rolled over. He didn't want to answer any questions. He wanted to sleep. A cool hand rubbed his arm comfortingly.

"Please honey, we want to help you feel better," Mama pleaded.

"My head really hurts," he finally answered. "And I feel hot."

The hand left his arm as Mama and Papa conferred quietly with each other.

"I think it's safe for him to eat. He's not complaining about his stomach anymore," Tino concluded. Ber nodded in agreement and rose to fetch some crackers and soda. "And get the Tylenol too. I'm worried about his temperature."

Tino then settled himself on the floor beside the bed. Carefully, he touched his son's face. Peter was struggling to stay awake and his little brow was furrowed with pain. In an effort to comfort him, Tino hummed a lullaby his mother used to sing to him. Berwald returned quickly and sat himself down on the other side Peter's bed.

"Pet'r, t's time to eat," he declared gently.

He pulled the little boy into his lap and supported him in a sitting position. First he gave Peter a sippy cup filled with ginger ale. Greedily, he took it and drank, realizing how thirsty he felt. Next, he was passed a chewable tablet of tylenol, which he resisted at first, but with the promise that it would help him feel better, he ate it. Berwald alternately handed Peter crackers and his sippy cup, until Peter didn't want to eat anymore. By this time, the medicine was kicking in and Peter was becoming livelier.

"What would you like to do now, sweetheart?" Mama asked.

Peter snuggled closer to Papa, who obligingly wrapped an arm around him and kissed the top of his head.

"Papa?" he asked sheepishly.

"Yes, Pet'r," Papa responded.

"Will you keep holding me? I wanna watch TV," he mumbled.

"Course," Papa answered easily.

Once the TV was on and Peter and settled in Berwald's lap, Peter started behaving more like himself. He kept a steady commentary of whatever they were watching. Tino was relieved. The house had been all too quiet that day. Peter even felt well enough to sit and eat dinner at the table. His parents put him to bed soon after with the promise that more sleep would help him feel better. Tino was feeling more relaxed and confident that Peter would be back to normal the next day.

Until a few hours later, around midnight, when Peter started crying for him. Tino and Berwald, dressed in their pajamas, hurried to Peter's room to find him covered in vomit and tears. Gingerly, Berwald picked him up and took him to the bathroom to clean up, while Tino set about changing Peter's bedding. When Tino finished, he found his boys in the bathroom.

Peter was stripped to his underwear (his favorite pair, covered in whales and anchors), leaned over the toilet, and heaving. Berwald patted his back comfortingly and murmured calming words to his son. Tears were running down Peter's red cheeks and his breaths were ragged. It was painful to watch Peter suffer and not be able to do anything about it. Tino kneeled beside his husband and joined the effort to calm Peter down.

Eventually, Peter stopped heaving and fell into Berwald's arms. Berwald carried him to the sink and Tino helped him wash Peter's face and hands. With a glance at the clock, Tino realized it was nearly 1:00.

"Berwald, you get back to bed, I'll stay with Peter," Tino instructed kindly. The husband frowned at his wife questioningly. "You have to get up early for work," he explained. When Berwald tried to protest, Tino insisted. "I'll be fine."

Reluctantly, Berwald handed the small, trembling child over and kissed his forehead. "Sleep well," he murmured before exiting the bathroom and heading back to bed.

"Okay, let's get you into some clean pajamas," Tino said as he carried Peter back to his room.

Once Peter was settled back in his bed with clean clothes on, Tino crawled under the covers beside him. He gave Peter instruction to wake him up if he felt like he was going to throw up again. Peter nodded and drifted back into his feverish sleep. An hour later, Tino was finally falling asleep himself when Peter frantically woke him up.

Quickly, he carried Peter to the bathroom in time for him to heave into the toilet. The rest of the night passed restlessly as Tino went back and forth between the bathroom and the bedroom. He rubbed Peter's back and ran his fingers through his hair as Peter became more and more panicked.

"I-I can't s-stop!" Peter cried desperately as he dry heaved. He was exhausted and his whole body hurt, but his tummy wouldn't stop hurting and his couldn't stop heaving into the toilet. "It w-won't s-stop!"

"Shh… I know honey," Tino answered calmly. "It'll stop soon sweetie."

It had been a long painful night and it was now nearly 5 am. Tiredly, Tino pulled the covers over both of them once Peter's stomach had calmed down. They both fell asleep quickly, with Peter curled up on his Mama's chest. Tino was briefly woken up by Berwald, dressed ready for work, who gave him and Peter a goodbye kiss. Peter didn't wake until noon, for which Tino was grateful.

After a bath and a clean set of jamies, Peter was once again curled up on the couch, watching TV. Under normal circumstances, Tino would've been appalled with the amount of TV watched in the past two days. But now he was grateful that it was enough to distract Peter from his misery. Tino was sure he was miserable, as he kept asking to be held or for his tummy to be rubbed or his hair brushed. Lovingly, Tino did whatever he could to help Peter feel better. Luckily, Peter didn't throw up anymore, even after some experimental soda and crackers. Both were grateful that he was able to hold something down.

By the time Berwald came home from work (at the usual time today) Peter's fever was down to 102 and he was feeling a little talkative again. The parents were relieved that the illness wasn't too serious and hoped once again that Peter would feel better in the morning.

As Tino went to bed that night, his head was starting to ache.

The next morning, Berwald was surprised that Tino didn't get up at the usual time before work. Once again, he made his own breakfast and woke his wife with a kiss before leaving. Tino ached all over and could tell he was running a fever. With a groan, he came to the conclusion that he had caught Peter's illness. Tiredly, he rested in his bed, hoping that Peter would sleep in again.

Too soon, Peter wandered into Mama's room and climbed into bed with him.

"How are you feeling?" Mama asked, touching the back of his hand to Peter's forehead. Quickly he realized how useless the action was, if he had a fever himself.

"I'm okay," Peter replied. "My tummy doesn't hurt. But my head still does. I don't feel as tired though."

Tino smiled, "Good. That means you're getting better!"

Tino quickly discovered how much more difficult it was to be sick while he also had a child. At least when he was single or still childless, he could stay miserably in bed all day. With a child to take care of, that wasn't an option.

Reluctantly, Tino pulled himself out of bed and made a breakfast of toast and tea for the two of them (just to be safe). Peter talked a little, telling Mama about his weird dream involving a giant Puffin and lots of potatoes. Peter was a little confused and disappointed when Mama didn't find his story funny.

"Mama, are you okay?" Peter asked, noticing that he hadn't even changed out of his pajamas yet.

Mama blinked at him. "I'm fine Peter. Just a little tired," he replied after a moment. Peter frowned and turned back to his breakfast.

After breakfast, the two of them settled down on the couch for the third day in a row. Peter was getting a little tired of TV, but didn't feel ready to play anything else. Eventually, he noticed that Mama had fallen asleep holding him and he decided to take a nap as well.

Peter woke to the feeling of something burning around him. He jerked himself away from the arms enveloping him and tumbled onto the ground. This woke Mama with a start and he panicked when he saw Peter on the floor.

"Peter, are you alright?" he asked frantically, "How are you feeling."

"I'm okay," Peter answered, "But you feel really hot."

Tino groaned as he felt the pounding in his head and the ache in his body. Unfortunately, the nap hadn't helped and he felt worse. He wasn't sure what his temperature was, but he didn't care at the moment. There wasn't time to worry about that, he needed to think about Peter. _Shouldn't have fallen asleep! _he chided himself, _Peter needs me right now. _

"Let's get you something to drink," Tino announced, slowly getting up and moving to the kitchen.

Peter followed obediently behind. "I'm hungry too!" He announced. His tummy wasn't bothering him as much and he was tired of eating toast and crackers.

"Alright," Mama replied tiredly. Mentally, he went through the checklist of things good for a sick stomach. "Do you want to see if you can hold down a banana and some rice?" He offered.

This option pleased Peter and Mama went about putting a pot of water and rice on the stove to boil. After starting that, he peeled a banana for Peter and set a glass of water at his spot. Next, he searched for some adult Tylenol or perhaps some ibuprofen to help his headache. Unfortunately, there wasn't any in the linen closet with the band aids or in the medicine cabinet.

"Mama! The pot is bubbling a lot!" Peter cried from the kitchen.

Suddenly remembering the rice on the stove, Tino rushed down the stairs to the kitchen. The pot was boiling over. Bubbles ran over the edge of the pot, sizzled loudly, and evaporated from the heat, leaving the stove a mess. Peter was pointing frantically at the stove, worried by the noise. Quickly, Tino turned the heat down and stirred the rice and water mixture. Once settled down, Tino placed the lid carefully on the pot and sat down heavily at the table to wait for the rice to finish.

_The house is a mess,_ Tino thought desperately. With Peter being sick, he hadn't done any cleaning. Now, he was getting sick himself and the task of cleaning was even more daunting. Perhaps he'd ask Berwald to help him tidy up the next day, which was Saturday. His stomach sunk as he remembered that Liz and Roderich were supposed to come over for dinner Saturday evening.

Peter blinked at his Mama with concern. He was agitatedly running his fingers through his hair and rubbing his eyes tiredly. Guiltily, Peter wondered if Mama wasn't feeling so good because of him. Mama had spent a lot of time taking care of him and was probably tired of doing that.

"Mama," he murmured, "I'm sorry that I'm sick."

Incredulously, Mama turned to him with a confused look. "Don't be silly Peter. It's not your fault," he answered sincerely.

The rice was ready and Peter was so excited to eat it that he burned his mouth a little. He hadn't eaten very much the past few days and realized how hungry he was. Mama watched him eat for a moment, before getting up to answer the phone. Normally, he didn't listen to Mama talking on the phone, but today he was worried.

"Hey honey," Mama answered. Peter realized it was Papa. "How's work going?" Mama asked. He was quiet for a moment as he listened to the response. "Good. He's doing better today." Peter assumed they were talking about him. His interest piqued. "Yah, he's eating more too. I'm okay, but I'm starting to feel a little unwell myself…. No, I'll be fine. You don't need to leave early again…. Mhmm, love you too Ber. Bye."

After hanging up, Mama turned back to Peter, looking pale. He took a few steps towards Peter before staggering. Peter watched as Mama swayed. Quickly, he hopped out of his seat and hurried to Mama.

"Are you okay?" he asked frantically, tugging at his hand.

Mama smiled brightly at him, "I'm fine Peter. I just need to sit down. Is it okay if we watch more TV?"

Hesitantly, Peter nodded and walked his Mama to the couch in the living room. He sat down beside Mama and curled into his side. Mama's warm arm wrapped around him and held him close.

"Love you, sweetheart," he murmured to Peter.

* * *

For Tino, the rest of the day passed in a haze of dozing and mind numbing children's television. He hadn't realized how late it was until Berwald came home. Peter jumped off the couch and ran to the entryway to greet his Papa. Tino stayed on the couch and scrubbed at his face in an effort to wake himself up more. At the sound of Berwald's footsteps and Peter's chattering entering the living room, Tino stood up quickly, swayed, and collapsed.

The next thing he knew, Berwald was carrying him up the stairs to the bedroom. Berwald's face was dark with concern and Tino knew he was at least a little upset that his wife hadn't been honest about how ill he was feeling.

"I'm fine Ber, really," Tino protested as he was gently put on the bed.

"No, yer not," Berwald countered easily. "Pet'r told me ye haven't eaten since breakf'st and have been actin' sick all day."

Tino did not appreciate being scolded and folded his arms defensively. He had been taking care of Peter all day. He felt he'd done nothing wrong.

However, Tino knew better than to argue with the look Berwald gave him. He crawled under the covers and arranged the pillows so he could sit propped up. He watched as Berwald shed his jacket and shoes and changed into something more comfortable. When finished, Berwald sat on the edge of the bed and tenderly kissed Tino's forehead.

"Yer burnin' up," he muttered. "Stay 'n bed. 'll take care of Pet'r 'n bring ye up somethin' to eat."

Tino nodded obediently, feeling embarrassed. "Tomorrow, I'll cleanup for Liz and-"

"No ye won't," Berwald stopped him sternly. "I'll talk t' Liz 'n cancel. Me 'n Pet'r will take care 'f the house."

"Ber-" Tino began to protest.

This time, Berwald took hold of his hands to silence him. "Let me take care 'f m'wife," he murmured, gently pulling Tino into him. With a blush, Tino let himself be held close. "Ye scared me 'n Pet'r," Berwald chided.

"I'm sorry," Tino apologized again, "For being silly and stubborn."

Berwald chuckled softly and squeezed Tino reassuringly. There was no need to apologize. After all, they were married for better or worse, in sickness or in health, through silly and stubborn.

* * *

AN: Hello dears!

Hope you enjoyed this totally original and cliche free chapter ;) What can I say, I love sick fics. They're fluffy :3

Once again, I'd like to thank you for reading, reviewing, and all that jazz! You guys are really sweet.

Love,  
Allie


	7. Chapter 7

In Which Berwald Loses Peter at the Office

_(Peter is 5)_

Both Peter and Berwald had looked forward to this day for months. It was the first time Berwald had a child to bring to work and Peter had a parent who wanted to take him. Tino thought their excitement over "Bring Your Child to Work Day" was endearing.

To his delight, Tino dressed Peter in a similar fashion to his Papa; crisp white button down shirt tucked into navy pants, complete with a red tie. Peter also insisted on wearing his blue sailor hat and carrying his little pack like a briefcase.

"I want to be just like Papa!" he explained as Tino helped tie his shoes.

Berwald blushed with pride and mumbled, "V'ry good."

With a quick kiss, Tino waved his boys out the door, face beaming. The two walked hand in hand with Peter nearly bouncing with excitement. At the front desk, Peter was introduced to Feliks, who fussed over him like an old woman.

"Toris, isn't he the cutest thing you've ever seen?" he exclaimed as he bended over to greet the little guest.

"Sure Feliks," Toris answered quickly as he busied with his own little brother.

Feliks ignored his desk mate's lack of enthusiasm and offered his hand to the little one. Peter absolutely adored the attention and politely returned the greeting, remembering what his Mama had told him about his manners.

"Oh Berwald, I totally can't believe you have such an adorable kid!" continued Feliks as he looked up at the taller man.

Berwald was torn between feeling like the greatest father in the world and being shocked that Feliks wasn't too scared to look at him. Before they were able to leave, Feliks insisted on asking Peter's name and age and what he liked to do. Every answer Peter gave was returned with 'awwww' or 'so cuuute'.

Finally, Toris interjected with a reminder that Peter needed a name tag. This gave Berwald the chance to finally escape, after Peter received a sticker with his name and a heart drawn on it. Berwald helped Peter stick it to the front of his shirt and they continued to Berwarld's cubicle.

Other coworkers seemed equally interested in Peter. Most didn't even realize that Berwald _liked _children, let alone had one himself. Suddenly, his coworkers were more friendly than they'd ever been. Unused to so much attention, Peter became more chatty than usual and skipped beside his father.

Gilbert was already at his desk and working when Berwald pulled Peter into the small enclosed space the company called 'cubicles'. Peter stopped short when he saw the wild silvery head of hair and deep burgundy eyes that stared at him questioningly. He instantly clung to his father's leg out of intimidation.

"Didn't know you had a kid, Berry," Gilbert noted as he turned back to his desk.

"Mama and Papa adopted me. And my name is Peter, not kid. And I'm five years old!" he explained adamantly.

Gilbert turned in his chair with his trademark smirk and questioning look. "Mama?" he asked incredulously. "Does he mean Tino?" he questioned with a laugh.

Once again, before Berwald could respond to his outspoken cubicle buddy, Peter jumped forward. "Are you laughing at Mama?" he demanded. "Just because Mama's a boy, doesn't mean you can laugh at him."

His pack had dropped from his hands, which were now clenched in tiny fists. With eyes wide and mouth slack, Gilbert stared at the little accuser. He glanced at Berwald, who was also surprised and feeling very proud.

"Well isn't that little guy feisty?" Gilbert suddenly broke the silence with a laugh. "He must take after Tino." He turned his chair back around with a, "Cute kid. Reminds me of my brother."

The next few hours passed easily, with Berwald typing away at his computer and Peter sitting beside him, coloring. His boy was well behaved, only making quiet humming noises or interrupting his work to show him a drawing. The little tie he wore was abandoned after about an hour and his shoes after two. Berwald had worried that Peter would find his work disappointing and dull. But Peter seemed to be very amused, chatting with Gilbert or any coworker who stopped by.

However, at hour three, Peter began to grow a little restless. Sweet as he was, he tried to contain himself the best he could. But as he became more fidgety and messed with more of his father's things, both Berwald and Gilbert became too impatient and distracted to work.

"Berry, the kid's adorable- but god, I can't get any work done with him climbing all over my desk!" Gilbert complained loudly.

"I wasn't climbing on his desk!" Peter cried defensively, turning to his father.

Retaining a sigh, Berwald pulled off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. He wanted to tell Gilbert to shut up and that he was hardly better behaved than his son. Unfortunately, Berwald was never aggressive enough to say something like that. Though he was sure Tino would have no problem telling Gilbert off.

"I wasn't, Papa!" Peter cried desperately. "I'm sorry."

"'S okay, Peter," Berwlad replied calmly. "We're not angry. It's just time to take a break."

Peter noticeably relaxed and nodded in understanding." Is it time for lunch?" he asked, his excitement renewed.

It was actually a little bit early for Berwald's liking, but he figured it would be as good a time as any to go eat. Together they left Gilbert to mess around in peace. Berwald though that because it was a special day, he would take Peter to the Little Red Tomato. He hadn't been in a while as he only ever went with Tino and they hadn't gone together since Tino quit working at the company.

"Pet'r, would you like to go someplace special for lunch?" he asked as they reached the elevator. "Somewhere your Mama and I like to go?"

Peter bounced with delight. "Can we please?"

Berwald smiled at his excitement and led him back down to the entryway. On the way, they passed Ivan Braginski- Berwald's interdepartmental rival and former cubicle partner of Tino- and a young girl holding his hand. Upon passing them, Peter slipped out of Berwald's grip and hid behind him.

"Hello Berwald," Ivan greeted with his soft voice. "Your child is very cute."

Berwald wanted to ignore him and continue on, but Ivan continued speaking and said something that made him stop short in his retreat.

"How is your lovely Tino doing?" he asked sweetly.

Slowly, Berwald turned back around. Ivan had also stopped and was standing a few feet away, with an innocent smile on his face. Berwald tightened the grip he had on his child's shoulders.

"Tino's fine," Berwald answered.

A small, disturbing giggle escaped Ivan's lips. "Good. I'm glad my dear Tino is alright."

Gratefully, Ivan took that moment to continue walking on, hand in hand with the little girl beside him. As they retreated, Peter's grip on his father's leg tightened.

"What's wrong," Berwald asked as he brought himself down to his son's level.

Peter's eyes watched Ivan and the pretty young girl as they continued down the hallway. "I don't like that girl," he answered quietly as his gaze continued ahead at her.

With a quick glance, Berwald saw the girl's head turn towards them. Her long platinum hair swooshed around her face and blue eyes focused on Peter. Berwald was disturbed by the strange girl, but was not surprised to see her with Ivan, a generally unsettling person. Before Berwald could ask why, Peter seemed to shake himself out of it and asked that they go to lunch.

The rest of the trip to lunch went without incident. Feliks cooed over Peter as they passed the front desk, just as Antonio and Francis did when they arrived at the café.

"He's très mignon, non?" Francis observed to Antonio as they both crouched before Peter.

"Si! He's as cute as his Papa Tino!" Antonio agreed exuberantly. He turned his head and called behind him. "Lovi, don't you think Mr. Berwald's son is the cutest?"

The Italian glanced up from his work, "Sure. Didn't know he had a kid," he replied dryly as he turned back to his work. "Get back in the kitchen Francis."

Reluctantly, the Frenchman returned to his post, but the Spaniard continued to fawn over them. Peter loved all the attention. He was used to the quiet love of his Papa and the gentle love from his Mama. But this open and audible adoration from another stranger was new and exciting.

"Mr. Berwald, we hadn't seen you and Mr. Tino in so long! We're glad to see you, right Lovi?" Toni asked as he led the two of them to the cashier.

"Whatever Toni," Lovino replied with a sideways glance.

He watched as the Spaniard hopped back over the counter. As usual, the Italian had a grumpy frown on his face. But as he watched Antonio taking their guests orders, Lovi's expression softened into something akin to affection. When Antonio caught him staring, he smiled back enthusiastically. This caused Lovino to blush, turn away, and gruffly tell him to get back to work. Berwald observed the interaction with amusement, but as was his nature, refrained from saying anything (but reminded himself to tell Tino about it, as he would find it amusing).

Peter, who was very used to his father's silence, filled the air with his own observations: the café was so cool, those guys were so friendly, why did they sound funny?, was this the place where Papa fell in love with Mama?, and so on. Berwald replied with a "mmmh" or a "hmm" to the constant and enthusiastic stream. The food came, they both enjoyed it, and as they headed back to the office Berwald felt confident Peter would be able to sit through the rest of the day.

When they passed through the revolving front door, the pair found themselves in the midst of chaos. Feliks was talking frantically to both the PA of the head of Sales and to someone on the phone. Toris was also talking on the phone and wrestling with his sandy haired little brother. The whole room seemed to tense as Berwald entered. Then everyone started talking at once.

"Berwald! Thank god you're here!" Feliks cried with relief, immediately hanging up the phone.

"We've been trying to contact you," Toris stated with mild annoyance.

"If you could please come with me, Mr. Oxenstierna," the PA began, his voice very soft.

Berwald blinked with surprise and felt his face scowl with embarrassment. He hated knowing he had cause such an inconvenience.

Once the room settled down, the PA tried speaking again. "Mr. Jones would like to speak with you Mr. Oxenstierna. There's an important client that wishes to see you."

Now, Berwald felt annoyed. This was something that should have been scheduled in advanced so that Berwald could be prepared and it certainly shouldn't be happening on "Bring Your Child to Work Day" either. But the head of Sales, Alfred F. Jones, was a very impatient and impulsive man.

"Feliks," he said, taking a step forward, "Would ya look after Pet'r for me."

Peter looked worriedly from his father (concerned about the sudden change in his demeanor and worried he'd gotten Papa in trouble) to the other adults in the room. He wasn't the only one who seemed suddenly frightened of the imposing Swede before them.

"We can look after your boy," Toris answered finally, snapping out of it first. "He's around Raivis's age. Maybe we'll go to the activities scheduled in the break room."

"Very good," the PA murmured, clutching the clipboard in his arms tightly to his chest.

He had a soft face framed with soft wavy golden hair and soft violet eyes framed with glasses. He was tall and fairly thin and looked overall a very soft, gentle person.

"If you would follow me," he gestured towards the elevator.

Berwald handed Peter to Feliks over the desk and followed the PA out of the room. He heard a "Bye Papa!" called out behind him, which he acknowledged with a wave.

"I'm sorry Mr. Oxenstierna," the soft spoken man muttered. "Mr. Jones can be very impatient and demanding. But he's good at what he does and always seems to get his way."

Berwald grunted in agreement, though he still felt Jones was very annoying.

"What's yer name?" Berwald asked, breaking the silence.

Berwald had talked with the PA on multiple occasions, but couldn't seem to remember his name. He wasn't sure if the PA was surprised by the question itself, or the broken silence, but he jumped at the words.

"Oh! I'm- I'm Matthew Williams," he replied, "Thank you for asking. Not many people remember my name. Or bother to find out."

They reached the Sales and Marketing department office soon after. Berwald impatiently sat through Mr. Jones loud bumbling. The Very Important client sat beside Berwald and seemed very intimidated by his presence. Jones went on about strategy, something that seemed irrelevant to Berwald, a member of the Engineering department. Berwald began to wonder if Jones had confused Berwald with his husband Tino, a common enough mistake.

Jones also seemed immune to Berwald's intentional glare, or perhaps he was too oblivious to notice. Alfred F. Jones was a very charismatic and unintentionally obnoxious man who seemed to think he was the most important part of the company. His hair was always a mess, with one hair sticking straight up in the front. His blue eyes were framed with glasses and he always had a goofy grin.

Eventually, Jones stopped talking long enough for Berwald to get a word in and the meeting ended quickly after that. He was anxious to get back to Peter whom he had to abandon so quickly. He'd been left with people that he'd only met that morning.

But when Berwald reached the front desk, the only being present was Feliks, who was busy connecting a call.

"Where's Pet'r?" Berwald asked in concern.

"Oh! Mr. Oxenstierna! He's right here-" Feliks responded, gesturing behind him. But he stopped short when he saw no little boy.

"He was totally here! Like, two seconds ago!" Feliks claimed anxiously. "Toris went with Raivis to the break room, but Peter stayed here with me and, um, I answered the phone. I didn't lose him I swear!"

But Berwald was already searching for his boy. The surrounding entryway was empty, so he immediately headed for the break room. Maybe Peter had followed Toris to the break room after all. But, at the break room, though there were many children with their parents or aunts or uncles or brothers, there was no Peter. Many of his coworkers watched him with concern as he frantically scoped out the room. The children all seemed wary of him.

Next, Berwald checked his cubicle. But he only found Gilbert, who said he hadn't seen Peter since they'd left earlier. Gilbert did mention seeing a boy who looked similar to Peter being led by a man with blond hair. Berwald's mind began to race with franticness as he checked the rest of his floor. The rows of cubicles were filled with a few other children, but not Peter.

'_Tino's going to kill me,' _was Berwald's only coherent thought other than his worry over Peter's wellbeing.

It wasn't that he felt Peter was in danger necessarily. But the building Berwald worked in was large and there were many people working there who he didn't know. He was even uncertain about employees he did know. Like that strange Greek man who supposedly did something (Berwald wasn't actually sure what his job was) or Ivan.

_Ivan. _

Suddenly, Berwald's thoughts were fixed on him. Berwald knew that Ivan had liked Tino and that Tino had rejected his advances. It had always been obvious that Ivan was jealous of Berwald. The meeting they had this morning had done nothing but make Berwald more suspicious. Did he have any ill intentions towards his boy?

Frantically, Berwald ran to Ivan's cubicle. He was sitting innocently at his computer, surprised to see Berwald's sudden intrusion. The little girl that was with him earlier was sitting in the corner playing with a doll.

"Is there something wrong?" Ivan asked with confusion. Berwald tended to avoid Ivan at all costs.

"Where's Pet'r?" Berwald demanded, ignoring that part of his brain that told him that he might be being a bit unreasonable at the moment.

"Peter? Is that your boy's name?" Ivan asked softly. "Have you lost him? That's too bad."

Everything from the tone of his voice to the small smirk on his face showed Berwald that Ivan was not sincere. The knot in Berwald's stomach clenched even tighter and he felt his temper rising. Berwald didn't get angry very often- he was scary enough without it- but when he did get angry, it was terrifying.

"I should hope nothing happens to him. Tino would be so upset…"

Without realizing what he was doing, Berwald jumped forward and grabbed the Russian by the collar. The little girl in the corner cried out in fear.

"Do you know where he is?" Berwald demanded menacingly.

"I don't know what makes you think I know where he is, but I assure you, I have done nothing to him," Ivan responded with equal darkness.

His sweet demeanor was gone which told Berwald he was being serious. Realizing his rashness, Berwald released the man and hurried away before anything more could be said. Agitatedly, he began pacing to help calm himself down. '_Need to find Peter. Where to look next?' _He started to wonder if he was going to have to call Tino. He'd been looking now for over an hour and he didn't know what else he should do. Panic suddenly struck him, _what if Peter had left the office building. _

This was now more than Berwald could handle. Unsure of where to look next and worry reaching irrational levels, Berwald headed to his supervisor's office. He hoped Ludwig would be able to help him, or give him some guidance. He rushed to the other side of the floor and let himself into the room without knocking. But the scene before him caused Berwald to stop short, his chest heaving with effort.

Sitting cross legged on the ground was Mr. Beilschmidt's PA Feliciano, who was receiving a paperclip necklace from Peter. Ludwig sat at his desk behind them, working away with a paperclip chain already around his neck. At the sudden intrusion, all three of them looked up in surprise.

"Hey Papa!" Peter greeted excitedly, "Look at the pretty necklace I made!"

Berwald could feel himself sag with relief. He dropped to his knees before Peter and pulled him into a tight hug. All his worry and frustration melted away. He couldn't even bring himself to be upset with his son.

"Papa!" Peter cried with annoyance as he struggled to get out of his father's grip.

Feliciano's head bobbed to the side, "Is this adorable boy yours Mr. Oxenstierna?" he beamed at Peter brightly, "Mr. Beilschmidt and I have been looking after him, right Ludwig?"

At this point, Ludwig returned to his work before absently replying, "Yes."

After it was clear that Ludwig would not be offering an explanation, Feliciano began to tell him what had happened.

"Mr. Beilschmidt and I found Peter alone near the break room. He said he was waiting for his Papa, so Ludwig thought it would be a good idea to look after him," Feliciano explained with his voice as cheery as ever.

"I felt Mr. Vagras would be good at taking care of him. He works well with children," Ludwig stated factually. He glanced quickly at his PA with a warm expression.

"Ve! Thank you Ludwig!" Feliciano answered as he blushed with pleasure.

Berwald felt a small tug at his sleeves. He looked down to Peter, who wanted his attention. "They're really nice! Even Mr. B- Bi- Bellsmith. He looks scary, but he isn't!"

With surprise, Berwald looked to his supervisor who was focusing very hard on his paperwork and blushing deeply. Berwald had never seen him as anything other than strict and hard working. But it appeared that he was very gentle with his PA and that gentleness had extended to Peter. Berwald was very grateful.

Feliciano laughed. "He is nice, isn't he?" he exclaimed before reaching out and tickling Peter's sides.

Peter shrieked with delight and wriggled out of his grasp and back to his Papa.

"Aren't children wonderful Ludwig?" Feliciano asked wistfully.

The department head cleared his throat before replying, "Yes, Feli. They are."

It felt as if Berwald and Peter were now intruding, so Berwald took it as a chance to leave. "Thank ye for lookin' after Pet'r," he spoke finally.

"No problem! He was a perfect little angelo," Feliciano replied, his gaze not breaking Ludwig's.

Berwald stood up and beckoned for his son to follow him. His little hand slipped easily into his own. Peter waved goodbye to his new friends and skipped beside his father.

"Is it time to go home to Mama?" Peter asked.

There were still a few hours until five, the time that Berwald usually went home. But Berwald doubted that he would be able to get much more work done. It had been a busy day for both of them. So Berwald agreed.

"Yes. It's time to go home to Mama."

* * *

AN: This was the first chapter I ever wrote for this story and I've been really excited to add it! I hope you guys enjoy it.

From now on, the timeline won't be as exact (I might jump around, I'll try not to, but it might happen) and Peter will be getting older pretty fast. There's still plenty more fluff to come though!

Once again, thanks to my wonderful and supportive readers! You guys rock.

Love,  
Allie


	8. Chapter 8

In Which Berwald and Tino Go on a Date and Peter Visits Uncle Matthias

_(Peter is 5)_

"Ber dear," Tino began sweetly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Berwald tensed mid bite of his toast, knowing that Tino only used that tone of voice when he was upset. Shaking off his fear, he continued to eat his breakfast. It was Friday and Berwald was looking forward to an easy day at work, followed by a relaxing night with his wife and child.

"Yes T'no," he aksed, trying not to sound suspicious. He turned his head to face his partner. Tino had that sweet smile on his face, the one he wore before he got upset. Berwald had learned to both love and fear that smile.

"It's been so long since we had a night out, just the two of us," he answered wistfully, "It's been… since Peter's adoption."

"Yes," Berwald answered, "Because we don' have a sitt'r fer Pet'r."

As if on cue, Peter stumbled into the kitchen in his sailor pajamas. "What about me? Am I in trouble? I didn't do anything!" Peter cried in a sleepy panic.

Tino stepped around the table and picked Peter up into his arms. "You're not in trouble sweetheart! Come have some breakfast," he soothed and plopped the boy into the chair across from his father.

"How'd ya sleep?" Berwald asked as Tino fetched Peter's breakfast.

After a yawn Peter replied, "Good. I wanted to dream about the Vikings again. But I didn't."

"Hmm," Berwald responded with a nod of understanding.

Tino brought over a plate of waffles and fruit and set it in front of Peter. Before pulling away, he planted a kiss on his son's cheek. Peter giggled and pushed his face away.

"Stop it, Mama!" he laughed.

"Okay," Tino replied mischievously before giving Peter one last peck.

Berwald's eyes followed his wife as he moved back around the table behind him. He felt Tino's hands firmly planted on his shoulders.

"Peter, how would you like to spend the night with Uncle Matthias?" Tino asked.

Both Peter and Berwald nearly choked with surprise.

"Really? Can I?" Peter asked with disbelief and excitement.

"Of course!" Tino answered before Berwald could protest.

Berwald stood up and motioned for Tino to follow him into the living room for a discussion. Tino smugly followed, smiling at their son's enthusiasm. Peter barely noticed their absence and chattered happily to himself. As soon as Berwald was sure they were out of earshot, he turned to face his wife- _whom he adored, _he had to remind himself.

"Ye want to send him to my irr'sponsible brother?" Berwald asked, clearly irritated.

"Berwald, honey," Tino replied with forced patience. "We are going to go out. The only reason we haven't gone out before was because we lacked a sitter. Or rather, you refused to ask your brother, _who has told us he'd love to watch Peter. _I know you don't always get along with Matthias-"

"Because he's irr'sponsible, r'de, d'rty-"

"-but he loves Peter and Peter adores him," Tino continued, ignoring his husbands interruption.

The two kept eye contact, giving each other their most determined expressions. Berwald _did_ want to spend some quality time with his wife without needing to worry about Peter. However, leaving Peter with Matthias would only make Berwald worry _more._ It didn't help that Berwald still didn't feel ready to leave Peter with a babysitter of any kind. What if they left and something happened? No, it was too soon for Berwald to leave his son overnight without him.

Finally, Berwald broke the silence. "Thought we agreed Matthias wouldn' be left 'n charge of the kids," he stated carefully, remembering the incident at the party. Berwald thought this would win the argument.

However, Tino had already taken that into consideration. "But Lukas will also be there and you can't convince me he's not responsible enough. He's raising his little brother! The two of them always take good care of Emil," he replied easily.

Defeated, Berwald broke his stare and bit his lip worryingly. There was nothing more he could do once Tino made up his mind (well, technically there was probably still _something _he could do, but it was unwise to try to stop Tino when he was set on something. It only resulted in being kicked out of the bed, being punched in the face, or being forced to eat Finnish cuisine). Seeing the distress of his husband, Tino's expression softened and he rubbed Berwald's arm comfortingly.

"I know it's hard to leave him with a sitter, especially overnight," Tino murmured, understanding the true reason for Berwald's protests. "But we've got to do it sometime and at least we're leaving him with family. Peter will be fine. I've already talked to Matthias and he's very excited to have him. And Lukas assured me that he would be sure not to let Matthias get carried away."

From the kitchen, the sounds of dishes being put in the sink could be heard. Peter's little pattering footsteps ran across the kitchen to the hallway. He poked his head out the doorway and looked at his parents expectantly.

"I can still go to Uncle Matthias's right?" he asked hesitantly.

With a sigh, Berwald nodded his head and Peter jumped with excitement.

* * *

Immediately, Peter packed his bags for the sleepover. In his little bag he packed his favorite pair of pajamas, something to wear the next day, and his toothbrush as Mama instructed. To that he added his favorite stuffed animal- an elephant- and his special blanket that Papa knit for him. When he was finished, he ran down the stairs proclaiming he was ready to go.

Papa chuckled. "Yer not going over till this ev'ning," he explained.

With a frown, Peter replied, "How much time is that?"

"About eight hours," Papa answered. Seeing the look of confusion on Peter's face he clarified, "Sixteen episodes 'f _Transformers._"

Disappointed, Peter threw himself on the couch and waited. Papa left for work soon after and Mama was busy cleaning up in the kitchen. Peter sat on the couch and waited. After finishing cleaning, Mama asked if Peter would like to play outside or go to the park. Peter was reluctant to do anything. Nothing could distract him from his anticipation of a sleepover with Uncle Matthias, Lukas, Emil, and Mr. Puffin.

Against his will, Mama dragged Peter to the park with Hanatamago. It turned out that Peter was distracted enough by Hana, the playground, and the other children to forget about going to Uncle Matthias's. Mama watched him from a park bench and chatted with other parents as Peter went down the slide a few times and ran around with the other children. Eventually, Mama had to rescue him when he got stuck on the monkey bars.

"I told you not to go on them, Peter," Mama chided as he lowered Peter to the ground. "You always get stuck."

Peter's bottom lip stuck out in a pout. "I don't _always _get stuck. Just some of the time," he muttered.

The two of them returned home at around lunch time and Peter remembered his excitement as soon as he saw his pack waiting by the door. He anxiously asked his Mama if it was time to go to Matthias's yet. To his disappointment, there were still ten more episodes of _Transformers _to go. So Peter resumed his position on the couch, limbs askew, and waited. With an eye roll, Mama completed some housework and settled down next to Peter with a book.

By the time Papa returned from work, Peter thought he was going to die of anticipation. Luckily though, it was time for him to go to Uncle Matthias's.

"Hey little man!" Matthias greeted when the little family arrived at his place. In excitement, Peter threw himself at his uncle and laughed when he was lifted into the air. "We're going to have lots of fun, right Peter?" Matthias exclaimed. "You gotta come in and see what Lukas and I set up in the living room!"

Berwald and Tino followed behind, curious and mildly concerned. In the living room, Lukas, Emil and Mr. Puffin sat in the middle of a giant bed covered in sea of blankets and pillows. The coffee table had been removed from the room and the couch and love seat had been pushed up against the walls. Several mattresses were put side by side along the floor and were covered with every pillow and blanket in the entire house.

"Whoa!" Peter exclaimed when he saw it.

"We thought it'd be fun if we all slept down here together!" Matthias explained, letting Peter down.

Immediately, Peter rolled around in the giant bed with glee (after being chided by Papa to take off his shoes). Emil smiled at him and the two started jumping up and down on the bed, ecstatic that they weren't being reprimanded. Matthias and Lukas were going to let him do things his parents would _never _allow.

"This is gonna be so much fun!" Peter exclaimed. He stopped short when he saw his parents still standing in the hallway. "Oh! Papa, Mama, you're still here?" he asked in confusion.

This made all the grownups laugh. Berwald looked from Peter to Lukas to Matthias nervously. Lukas came over to reassure the nervous parents. Reluctantly, they left after calling out to Peter, telling him to be good. Absently, Peter waved them off, too busy playing to give a proper goodbye. A little sadly, the parents walked back to the car to try and enjoy their date.

* * *

Peter had never had so much fun in his entire life. Ever. After his parents left, they all changed into their pajamas, snuggled up on the mattresses, and watched movies while eating a dinner of pizza and popcorn. Peter sat squished between Matthias and Mr. Puffin. While the movie played, Matthias would often lean over and whisper funny comments in Peter's ear. Even Emil was laughing by the time the first movie was over.

Uncle Lukas sat on the other side of Matthias and rested his head on his boyfriend's shoulder. Peter couldn't help but watch them curiously. Usually, Peter couldn't tell if Matthias was serious when he said they were dating. Matthias and Lukas were _supposed _to be in _love, _but Lukas didn't act like his Mama and Papa did. In a moment of epiphany, Peter realized that Lukas _really_ did like Uncle Matthias; he just didn't _show _it like others Peter expected him to.

In his staring, Lukas caught Peter's eye. For the first time ever, Peter saw Lukas smile at him. In embarrassment Peter turned back to the film. Peter wasn't sure if he liked Uncle Lukas. He wasn't sure if Uncle Lukas liked _him_. Whenever Matthias insisted that Peter call him 'Uncle', Lukas looked annoyed. But Peter desperately wanted to get along with Lukas and the fact that he had smiled at him filled Peter with joy.

At this point, Peter had lost all interest in the second movie that they were watching. The confusing feelings about Lukas were bothering him too much. In search of comfort, Peter shifted to curl up against Mama and remembered that Mama wasn't there. Instead Peter hesitantly leaned against Uncle Matthias, who obligingly lifted his arm and pulled him close. But Matthias wasn't as soft as Mama.

Once the movie ended, Matthias wanted to watch another but Lukas suggested that it was time for bed. Together, Emil and Peter brushed their teeth in the bathroom while Matthias and Lukas cleaned up the mess of popcorn. Peter was excited to sleep on the giant bed with the others, but as he burrowed next to Emil he felt butterflies in his stomach. Since the adoption, Peter had never spent a night without being tucked in by his parents and told a bedtime story. As Lukas tucked him in, he noticed Peter's distress.

"Do you need something Little One?" he asked.

Peter glanced over to Matthias who started to look at him concerned. "I… Could you tell me a bedtime story?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes, of course Peter!" Matthias said with an easy smile. "I have the perfect one!"

Matthias settled himself before the Emil and Peter and starting telling his story. It wasn't like the stories that Papa told (those were usually about Vikings or Princes or Fairies), but about a duck who was actually a swan. Peter didn't like the story; it was sad and didn't make sense to him.

After the story was over, Lukas and Matthias settled down for bed as well. To Peter's surprise, Lukas lay down beside him and Matthias beside Emil; like a sandwich with the grownups surrounding the little ones. With longing, Peter looked over to Matthias, wishing that he could curl up next to him. Peter still felt anxious, like he couldn't go to bed yet. It didn't feel right. Even hugging his stuffed elephant and being wrapped up in his special blanket didn't help. Hesitantly, Peter scooted closer to Lukas for comfort. To Peter's surprise, Lukas let him nuzzle close and even put his arm protectively around him.

"Are you alright, Peter?" Lukas asked softly.

The question brought tears to his eyes. Peter tried to shake it off, but it only made him cry. "I-I don't k-know," he whispered.

"Do you need something?" Lukas asked.

Peter shook his head. "I-I don't k-know. B-but I miss m-my parents," he explained.

Lukas watched the little one carefully. Emil and Mr. Puffin were already asleep, but Matthias lifted his head to watch them with a look of concern. To comfort Peter, Lukas ran his fingers through his hair. "Do you want to go home?" he asked.

"I-I don't know," Peter replied.

"Why don't we call your Mama?" Lukas suggested after a moment of thinking. "Do you think you'd feel better then?"

Wiping a few tears from his eyes, Peter nodded. Without waking up Emil, Lukas picked up Peter and carried him to the kitchen. Matthias watched them carefully and quietly asked if everything was alright. With a nod, Lukas assured him that it was only a little homesickness. Once in the kitchen, Lukas shifted Peter so he rested on his hip and picked up the phone with his free hand. He punched in the number and put the phone to his ear.

"Hello, Tino? Yes, this is Lukas. Everything's fine, but Peter's feeling a little homesick and would like to talk to you," he explained.

The phone was handed to Peter. "H-hello, Mama?" he asked with a trembling voice.

"Hey honey, is everything alright?" Mama replied. His voice was cheerful, trying to mask concern.

In the background Peter could hear the sound of a car engine. Peter felt slightly embarrassed for interrupting Mama and Papa's date, but he really needed to talk to them. "Um… yes. I… I just miss you and Papa," Peter replied, tears starting up again.

"Oh sweetheart, we miss you too," Mama answered. "Do you want us to pick you up?"

Peter thought a moment. He didn't want to go home. He wanted to stay here with Matthias and Lukas; he just wanted Mama and Papa here to.

"Peter, if you want to come home that's okay. It's not a problem to pick you up," Mama clarified. "I'm sure Uncle Matthias wouldn't feel bad."

"No, I want to stay," Peter insisted. "I… I just wish you were here too."

Mama paused a moment and Peter could hear the muffled sound of Papa's voice. After a quick discussion, Mama came back on the phone. "Peter, if it's alright, we'll come and sleep over too. Does that sound good?"

"Yes. Thanks Mama," Peter replied, relief flooding through him.

"It's no problem. Papa and I will always be here if you need us, sweetheart," Mama assured him. "We'll be at Uncle Matthias's in about fifteen minutes, okay?"

"Okay. Bye Mama, love you," Peter said.

Mama said his farewell and Peter hung up the phone. Lukas took the phone from him and set it back in its place. Peter explained the plan for Mama and Papa to join them in their sleepover. Lukas's expression was mildly amused as the two of them waited in the entryway. Before long there was a quiet knock at the door and Lukas let Peter's parents inside. Immediately, Peter held out his arms and was swept up by Papa and given kisses from Mama.

"Shh… 's okay now," Papa murmured softly as Peter's tears began anew, this time not from homesickness, but relief.

Papa was feeling a little emotional as well and Mama looked relieved. Quietly, Lukas led them back to the living room where Matthias and Emil were already sleeping. Without a word, Lukas curled up next to his brother and draped his arm across him and Matthias. Mama and Papa were still in their date clothes, but after shrugging off their outerwear and slipping out of their shoes they settled on the mattress as well. Peter lay snug between his parents, feeling the comfort of having both of their arms around him.

The little family soon fell asleep, Peter grateful to have the reassuring presence of his parents. However, Peter didn't know how reassuring _his_ presence was for them. Tino and Berwald didn't tell him how distressed they were through dinner, how they were already considering picking him up before he called, how they nearly ran to the car as soon as Tino's phone rang, how they came without stopping at home to change because they were too anxious, or how Tino finally admitted to Berwald that maybe they weren't ready to leave Peter overnight. They also tried not to think about how much Matthias was going to tease them the next morning when he asked about their date.

* * *

AN: Hello my lovelies!

This chapter is loosely based off of something that happened when I was a kid (except my friend got homesick at 1 in the morning and her parents just came to pick her up and my feelings were hurt). Also, in case you were wondering about the episodes of _Transformers_ as a unit of time thing- my baby brother had difficulties grasping the concept of hours and minutes so we just started using episodes of _Spongebob _as a frame of reference instead.

Thanks so much for your kind support! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Love,  
Allie


	9. Chapter 9

In Which Tino is Late Picking Up Peter from School

_(Peter is 5)_

Over the buzz of cheerful voices and rustling papers the sharp _ding_ of the school bell rang. The students in the colorfully decorated classroom began shuffling papers into backpacks and placing crayons back in boxes. Peter was busy concentrating on his worksheet, carefully practicing writing the alphabet, and seemed oblivious to the rest of the world. The teacher offered a cheerful farewell as the children spilled from the classroom.

"Peter," his teacher, Miss. Gorbold said, kneeling beside his table. "The bell rang. Aren't you going to clean up and go home?"

With a blink of confusion, Peter looked up from his work and glanced around the almost empty classroom. He blushed with the realization that he'd been so absorbed in his work that he missed the bell. Again.

"Yes, Miss. Gorbold!" he replied, hastily replacing pencils and crayons into his pencil box.

Peter threw his blue backpack over his shoulder after carefully shoving his schoolwork into it. With a wave goodbye to his teacher, he scurried out of the room, down the hallway, out of the school and to the parent pickup zone. Mentally, Peter began to prepare himself for the teasing from Mama about being the last one out of the classroom. Again. Outside a row of cars were lined up in the parking lot, filled parents picking up their children. Peter walked along the sidewalk, down the line, looking for his Mama in his little silver car. He got to the end of the schoolyard.

Mama wasn't there.

Mama was _always_ on time. In fact, Mama was usually _early _and would gently chide Peter for coming out late and making him wait. Panic began to rise in Peter's stomach. With a worried brow, Peter ran back to the other end of the row of cars. Peter forced himself to wait there, with a group of kids from his class. _It's okay,_ he told himself, _Mama's just late. He'll be here soon. _There were plenty of other children still waiting to be picked up and parents waiting for their children.

"My father's always late," a voice beside him stated comfortingly.

Peter looked to see Kiku, a short boy with dark hair and a pale round face, standing beside him in the mass of children. Sensing Peter's anxiety, Kiku offered him a polite smile. With a little hesitation, Peter returned the smile. They stood together, but didn't say anything else to each other and watched while others played, squealed, and ran around them.

Before now, Peter hadn't spent much time with Kiku, even though they were in the same class. It wasn't that Peter didn't like him necessarily. Kiku always followed Miss. Gorbold's instructions and frequently did more than his share of tidying during clean up time. At recess, Kiku was content to play by himself or quietly with other shy students. Kiku seemed to know exactly how to comfort others with his quiet politeness. On the other hand, Peter needed frequent reminding to stop talking while the teaching was talking, to share with his classmates, and to clean up his mess. Peter also had a habit of getting in passionate disagreements with others during recess. Several times, Kiku tried to play with Peter or help him get along. Peter's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he realized he didn't usually welcome that help from him.

"I-I'm sorry," Peter stuttered at Kiku, feeling ashamed, "that I haven't been nice."

Kiku blinked at Peter in confusion. "It's okay," he replied sincerely. "I think you're nice. Just sometimes, you forget."

With a bright smile, Peter turned back to parking lot. It was now 10 minutes past the end of school and only a handful of children milled around waiting for their parents. The bus had left and only two cars remained in the parking lot. Every time Peter heard the sound of car approaching his heart leapt with anticipation, hoping it was Mama. But, by the time school had been over for 15 minutes, Kiku and Peter were the only ones still waiting. There were no more cars.

"Are… are you worried?" Peter asked him, pulling anxiously at blades of grass. By this point, they'd both moved off the sidewalk and sat in the shade of a tree.

Kiku shook his head. "My father is always this late. He has to pick up my older brother and sister first," he explained. "Are you worried?" he inquired of Peter.

Fiercely, Peter shook his head. "No," he answered quickly, swallowing the lump in his throat. "But Mama's usually on time," he added uncertainly.

"I'm sure she'll be here soon," Kiku assured him.

"He," Peter corrected, "Mama's a he." _Why did everyone always assume Mama was a girl? _

Kiku's eyes widened with surprise and confusion, but he assented. "Sorry, of course. _He'll_ be here soon."

At 20 minutes past the end of school, an old white van drove much too quickly up the pickup line and came to an abrupt halt in front of the boys. The door of the van opened to reveal a noisy group of four dark haired siblings (_and was that a Panda?). _A little girl in a pink car seat was kicking at her brother who had a strange curl sticking out of his hair. Behind them, two older children- a bored looking boy and a tall girl- were in a heated argument. From the front seat a delicate looking man with long ebony hair pulled into a ponytail reached around to the back and yelled for order.

"That is my family," Kiku sighed as he stood up.

Peter's heart was suddenly frozen with fear. Now that Kiku's ride was here, Peter would be all alone. He didn't know what to do. _Was Mamma ever going to come? _What if he never did? What if Peter would be left here all alone, _forever_? Peter struggled to stay calm. He wanted to cry, but he couldn't do that now. Not in front of Kiku and his big family.

"Kiku, does your friend need a ride?" Kiku's father called out.

Kiku shook his head and rushed over to the van. Without getting in, he spoke to the grownup, gesturing to Peter waiting by the school. With a nod, Kiku's father turned off the engine and stepped out of the car. Peter watched with worry and curiosity as Kiku and his father approached him.

"Hello Peter, I'm Yao, Kiku's father," the man introduced himself, crouching down to Peter's level. Peter nodded in acknowledgement. "Kiku says you're waiting for your mother." Another nod. "Do you want us to wait here with you?" Another grateful nod.

For five minutes Peter, Kiku, and Yao sat in the shade of a tree waiting. The rest of Kiku's siblings waited in the car, looking restless. Yao was nice and talked a lot. Peter noted that he spoke funny, like his Mama and Papa, but different. He knew he wasn't supposed to talk to strangers, but Peter didn't think Yao counted as a stranger.

"You are sure your mother's coming?" Yao asked politely.

"I-I don't know. He's s-supposed to be here," Peter replied with a trembling voice. But long buried worries of abandonment were rising. What if this was it? What if this was when his parents left him?

In response Yao hummed and frowned with concern. Suddenly, he stood up. "Why don't we go into the office? Then you can call your mother and make sure she's coming." Peter nodded and stood up as well. Yao called out to his other children in the van, "Hong! You're in charge." Several cries of dissent arose from the other children. "Be nice! Mei, don't hit Yong Soo!"

The secretary in the office wasn't very nice. Peter had never talked to her before, only seen her in passing. But he heard from other about how stern she was. Her nose was long and hooked and her eyes were small and grey. _Like a bird, _Peter thought.

"Do you know your home phone number?" she asked impatiently, after Yao had explained the situation.

His parents had forced him to memorize _that_ as soon as he started school. Peter nodded and recited it to her. The secretary punched the numbers and handed Peter the phone as it dialed. _Ring riiing._ Peter waited. Mamma never let the phone ring this long. After a dozen rings, the answering machine clicked on and Peter lowered the phone from his ear in disappointment.

"He didn't answer," he mumbled, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Do you know your mother's cell phone number? Or your father's?" Yao asked.

Peter shook his head. There was a list on the refrigerator at home with those numbers. At one point Peter learned them. But he couldn't remember. Kiku reached out and held Peter's hand supportively.

Yao pursed his lips. He quickly turned back to the secretary. "Does the school have information for an emergency contact?" he asked.

With a mumble, the secretary began typing into her computer and checked through a few files. "We have a work number for a Berwald Oxenstierna," she stated finally.

"That's my Papa!" Peter replied, a little hope renewed.

Once again, the secretary punched the numbers and Peter anxiously held the phone to his ears. With heart pounding, Peter waited through two dial tones. Finally, at the third, someone answered and Peter released the breath the was holding.

"'lo?" Papa's voice came through the phone.

"Papa!" Peter cried. All the anxiety bubbled out of him and he could feel himself melting with relief. The tears he'd tried so hard to hold back rolled down his cheeks.

"P'ter?" Papa replied, sounding anxious. "You okay? Where are ye?"

With much stuttering and crying, Peter relayed the story to Papa, explaining how Mama hadn't come to pick him up yet and hadn't answered the home phone.

"Hold on. Stay on th' phone P'ter," Papa commanded, sounding a little worried himself. "'m callin' Mama."

Peter confirmed that he understood and waited. Kiku and Yao smiled at him hopefully and he halfheartedly smiled back.

It was only a few moments later that Papa was back. "P'ter, Mama's on his way. He'll be there 'n a few minutes."

"O-okay," Peter replied with a hiccup. Hastily, he wiped his eyes.

"Are ye goin' to be okay waitin'?" Papa asked softly.

"Y-yah."

"Then I'm goin' t' hang up now," he explained slowly, "Love ye P'ter."

"Love you Papa. Bye," Peter said farewell. He handed the phone back to the secretary and turned to Yao who watched him expectantly. "Mama's going to be here in a few minutes."

Yao escorted the two kindergarteners back outside and volunteered to wait until Peter's Mama was there (just in case). It didn't take long for Mama's silver car to pull up and for Tino to hop frantically out of the car.

"Peter I'm so sorry I'm late!" he explained as he pulled Peter into his arms.

"I-I didn't k-know if you were c-coming," Peter sniveled as he started crying again.

Tino planted several kisses on Peter's head. "I'm sorry honey. I fell asleep and didn't hear the phone ring when you called! I'm sorry you worried!"

After overcoming his surprise that Peter's Mom was, in fact, male, Yao introduced himself. Tino shifted Peter to his hip, freeing up a hand to shake. Peter didn't loosen his tight grip on Tino's shirt and buried his face in Mama's shoulder.

"Thank you so much for helping Peter," Tino gushed gratefully once Yao explained what had happened. "If you hadn't told Peter to call us..." he trailed off.

After a little small talk, loud complaining erupted from Yao's car. Yao and Kiku said farewell and returned to their car.

"We need to get you home! It's nearly an hour since school got out," Tino noted with guilt. "This new schedule with school has been hard to adjust to," he added.

Tino lifted Peter's backpack off his shoulders and tossed it in the back seat. Then he placed Peter on his booster seat and buckled him in, even though he knew Peter could do it himself. Before moving up to the driver's seat, he kissed his son again, wiping the trails of tears off his cheeks.

"I'm sorry Peter," Tino murmured, "Even your Mama can make silly mistakes at times."

"It's okay M-Mama," Peter hiccupped, giving Tino one last hug. "I-I was the last one out of the classroom again."

Tino laughed and ruffled his hair.

The rest of the school year, Peter was the first person out of the classroom and Mama was _always _there waiting for him, the first car in line.

* * *

AN: Once again, this chapter is based off of personal experience. It was pretty traumatizing. Also, we get some Asia family cameo. I just love the idea of the Asian countries being one big, noisy, loving family.

Hope you all enjoyed it! I'm grateful for your support.

Love,  
Allie


	10. Chapter 10

In Which Peter is Introduced to Hide and Seek  


_(Peter is 6) _

"I should be back by 4," Tino announced as he slipped a foot into his boot and laced it up. He glanced up at his husband, "You can handle Peter for that long can't you?"

Berwald grunted with amusement. "He's m' kid too," he answered, feeling slightly insulted.

With a giggle, Tino tossed his scarf (something that Ber had knitted for him) over his shoulder and slipped gloves over his hands. "I know, I'm only teasing," he said with a smile. "If you're going to treat me like the housewife, then I'm going to treat you like the oblivious husband."

This time Berwald chuckled and leaned down to give his _wife_ a goodbye kiss. His hands adjusted the hat on Tino's head to fully cover his ears. Tino lightly swatted them away and put a hand on the door knob.

"Be safe," Berwald instructed as he watched Tino cross the threshold of the warm house into the bright, cold outdoors. He knew Tino was very capable and tough, but Berwald still worried when he went shooting with Eduard.

Tino turned back and smiled. "I'm always safe! Oh, and make sure Peter's properly bundled up if he wants to play outside!"

"I know!" Berwald replied, but Tino was already turning away.

Berwald stood at the doorway and watched Tino hop into Eduard's truck. Despite the fact he was letting the frigid air in and he was shivering from the cold, Berwald waited until they drove off and he couldn't see them anymore, before retreated back inside. Peter was busy watching TV- something Berwald thought he did too much of recently- and remained oblivious to everything else going on around him.

"Has Mama left yet?" Peter asked as Berwald approached. His eyes never left the TV screen.

"Mmhmm," Berwald answered, sitting beside him on the couch.

Peter's face screwed up into a pout and he turned to his Papa. "But I didn't get to say goodbye to him!" he whined.

With a shrug Berwald reminded, "You were t' busy watchin' TV."

Guiltily, Peter looked back to the TV.

In a moment of parental inspiration, Berwald marched over to the television set and shut the power off before Peter could even protest. As the screen went dark, Peter cried out in objection. The expression on Papa's face however stopped his cry mid shout. Papa was smirking at him. _Smirking__. _The way Papa's mouth quirked made him almost look like Uncle Matthias (it was a bit of a stretch, but still. It was surprising to Peter).

"Play with yer Pa," Berwald instructed playfully.

With wide and curious eyes, Peter jumped up from the couch. "Okay!" he said excitedly. "What are we going to do?"

After a moment of contemplation, a very serious expression crossed Berwald's face. "Close yer eyes 'n' count to 20," he commanded.

Peter blinked, but did as he was told, still not quite sure what his Papa was planning. He heard his Papa's large steps moving away from him, but Peter kept his eyes close as instructed (though it was difficult to resist the temptation to peek). What was Papa doing? With perhaps more speed than strictly necessary, Peter rattled off the last numbers to 20. When he opened his eyes, he quickly scanned the area to find Papa.

"Papa?" he called out cautiously. When he got no response he tried again. "Where are you?"

Papa wasn't in the living room, or in the kitchen, or in any of the bedrooms. Peter ran from room to room, starting to feel worried. Where was Papa? What was he supposed to do?

"Papa!" he cried out desperately, feeling close to tears. "Where are you?"

From the hallway he heard a muffled sound. Peter instantly recognized it as Papa's laugh, which was distinctly low and was more of a chuckle than a laugh (but it was the closest thing to actual laughter for Papa. Mama's laugh was also distinct, in that it was loud and sounded rather feminine). With a furrowed brow, Peter slowly drifted from the bedroom to the hallway and stopped before the linen closet door. Hesitantly, he reached out to grip the handle and tore open the door.

Papa stood, pressed against the shelves, and looked down at Peter with a small smirk. "Ye found me," he stated.

Peter pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. "What are you doing in the closet? I looked everywhere for you!"

Berwald blinked in confusion. "That's the game," he replied,"Hide 'n' Seek."

There was no recognition in Peter's face. He only seemed confused and put out.

"Haven't ye played it before?" Berwald asked, kneeling down to Peter's level.

When Peter shook his head 'no', Berwald laughed again. Berwald hadn't considered that Peter wouldn't understand. He assumed all children play Hide and Seek at some point in their lives. But in Peter's time in foster care, he clearly hadn't.

"'m sorry Peter, if I worried ye," Papa apologized, giving Peter a reassuring hug. He explained, "In the game, one person closes their eyes 'n' count t' 20 while the other people hide. Then the counter goes 'n' looks fer the others hiding."

After the initial hesitancy, Peter was very excited to play. He insisted that it was his turn to hide and Papa needed to count. The first place he hid was under his bed. Next, Peter was able to find Papa hiding behind the door of his room. Peter found he was very good at finding hiding spots. Because Papa was so tall, it was easy for him to hide in low, small spaces. Peter also was very good and finding Papa's large body, that wasn't ideal for playing hide and seek. However, their 7th and final round of Hide and Seek didn't go as well as the others.

It was Peter's turn to hide. After Berwald finished counting, he began his search but had difficulty finding Peter. He was impressed that Peter could hide so well, when Berwald couldn't find him in an initial sweep of the house. Berwald started a second round around the house, being more thorough this time. However, he was still unable to find Peter. After the third search, Berwald began to panic.

"Pet'r," he called out. There was no response.

Berwald's mind started racing. If he couldn't find Peter in the house, where did he go? _Maybe he tried to hide outside. _Urgently, Berwald ran to the front and back doors, checking for signs of Peter. The snow around the porches and yard was mostly undisturbed. From what he could tell, Berwald guessed Peter wasn't out there. Or rather, he hoped Peter wasn't out in the snow, freezing. But Berwald didn't know where else to look.

In the unlikely chance that Berwald had missed Peter, he took one final sweep of the house. While calling Peter's name, he checked all drawers, shelves, and cupboards in his thoroughness. Still, no Peter. When he reached the laundry room, Berwald paused. The room was small and only contained the front loading washer and dryer and not a good place for hiding. On a hunch, Berwald stepped into the room and pulled the doors open to the washer and dryer.

Curled up in the dryer, in a rather uncomfortable looking position, was Peter. Berwald breathed a sigh of relief. Peter blinked groggily up at his Papa, having fallen asleep while waiting.

"Finally!" he cried exasperatedly. "I was waiting forever!"

Papa helped pull Peter out of the dryer, wondering how he could have possibly stayed in that awkward position for what had now been nearly an hour. He held on to the squirming child tightly for a moment before apologizing for taking so long.

"Papa, you're not very good at this game," Peter noted.

"Yes," Berwald chuckled, "And yer _too _good at it."

Both decided they no longer wanted to play Hide and Seek, the game having been spoiled. In defeat, Papa let Peter return to the living room to resume TV watching, as long as he promised not to tell Mama about hiding in the dryer.

* * *

AN: Hello dears! I'm sorry for the longer than usual delay in updating! This chapter's also pretty similar to the 'Bring your child to work' one, but I didn't realize until I was almost finished editing it. Hope you forgive me!

This chapter is based on an actual experience when I played hide and seek with my little brother who hid in the dryer. Needless to say, after we couldn't find him for a long time, the dryer was banned as a hiding spot. :3

For those of you returning to school about now, I wish you luck! For those of you not, I wish you luck in continuing doing... whatever. You are all very good me! Thanks for the wonderful support!

Love,  
Allie


	11. Chapter 11

In Which Berwald, Tino, and Peter Go on an Ill Advised Camping Trip

_(Peter is 7)_

Berwald was expecting the trip to end in disaster. It was inevitable. Neither Berwald nor Tino had much experience camping; Berwald hadn't gone since he was a teenager and was dragged along by Matthias. In fact, the tent they were using was the old family one, as they didn't have a tent of their own. The campsite they were driving to was far from any sort of civilization. The weather forecast for the weekend indicated it would be cold and wet. Oh, and they had their rambunctious 7 year old, who would no doubt get lost, or hurt, or _something _(according to Berwald's worries).

But Tino insisted and Peter begged.

So Berwald found himself driving towards the mountains with Tino and Peter singing camp songs the whole way there.

"This is gonna be so great!" Peter declared, for perhaps the 26th time since the car ride started. "We need to make a fire! And roast marshmallows! And tell campfire stories!"

Tino laughed and reassured Peter that they would do all of those things. Berwald took a deep breath and tried to ignore the nagging thought of _Peter _and _fire. _Upon hearing Berwald's sigh, Tino patted his shoulder.

"It'll be fine Berwald," he murmured.

"Yah Papa! This is gonna be so great!" Peter quickly agreed.

When they reached the campsite parking, Berwald and Peter started to unload the car while Tino ran into the information center to get a map of the area and check their campsite reservation. Berwald noticed immediately when he returned with a slight frown.

"Um… so we'll have to walk to the campsite from here," Tino began with a forced cheerful tone. Quickly he gestured to map in his hands. "It's a bit of a hike, but we should be fine, right?"

Peter quickly nodded in agreement, but Berwald did not feel so sure. The pile of camping equipment beside the car was big, containing: the tent, sleeping bags, two coolers with food and cooking supplies and a third cooler for water, camping chairs, and duffle bag holding their clothes and personal items. At the very least, it would take two trips to carry all the supplies to their site.

"How far?" Berwald asked.

"Only two miles," Tino replied quickly as he slung a camping chair over his shoulder.

In the first trip to their camping site, Berwald learned that two miles seemed much farther than it was when carrying a full cooler and camping chair in addition to trying to look after a child struggling with a sleeping bag. His lovely wife seemed to have no struggles with his load, which was equal to Berwald's, and kept a swift pace. Luckily the path wasn't rough or too steep. The campsite itself was a square clearing with a picnic table, a fire pit, and a spot to place the tent.

"See that wasn't so bad!" Tino announced as he set his load down.

Peter immediately followed his example and sat tiredly on the cooler. The walk had been hard for him, trying to balance with a camping chair slung around his back and carrying a large sleeping bag in front of him. But he had insisted on carrying those items himself and refused all help offered.

"Ye did a good job," Berwald encouraged, giving Peter a pat on the shoulder.

Another hour later and all of the camping equipment was retrieved. Tino was still exuding optimism and energy, something Berwald could never understand. Peter had also seemed to inherit this trait and was over feeling tired about their unexpected hike.

Immediately, Berwald set about setting up their tent while Tino and Peter started working on the fire. The amount of fabric and metal poles that came out of the tent bag momentarily perplexed Berwald. He didn't let himself be intimidated, as he was usually good at assembling things. However, after ten minutes of struggling with nylon and bent tent poles, he came to the realization that there must be some parts missing. There were several stakes absent, so Berwald improvised and tried to evenly distribute the remaining ones. Added to that, half the rods were missing or bent beyond usefulness. _'What the hell has Matthias done with this tent?' _he silently fumed to himself. Berwald wrangled with the long rod that went down the middle of the tent, but without all of the other supporting poles, the tent struggled to stay up.

For the third time, the tent collapsed and Berwald grumbled with frustration. Behind him, someone giggled. With an exasperated sigh, Berwald gave up and turned around. Tino and Peter stood, with a beautiful fire behind them. Berwald's wife and child were clearly trying not to laugh at his failure; Tino was smiling and biting his lip and Peter's hand was pressed over his mouth to repress a giggle.

"Need help, Berwald dear?" Tino asked pleasantly.

"Yah, Papa, need help?" Peter echoed, unable to contain himself.

Feeling frustrated (and a tad embarrassed), Berwald stepped to the side and gestured to the tent as if to say _it's all yours. _To his utter displeasure, the tent popped up perfectly in a matter of moments. The two returned to his side with blatantly smug expressions. But Tino patted his shoulder comfortingly and Berwald sighed.

"Good job, Pet'r," he offered as he ruffled his son's messy hair. Peter beamed.

By the time camp was all set up, it was time to make dinner. At the picnic table, Berwald and Tino assembled three little foil packages filled with chopped potatoes, onions, and a hamburger patty. Tin foil dinners, the classic camping meal. Peter watched impatiently, swinging his feet as he watched his parents prepare the dinner.

"How are we going to cook that?" Peter asked when they were finished.

"Watch," Tino instructed.

He picked up all three foil packages and took them over to the fire pit. Using a pair of tongs, Tino placed them at the edge of the pit so they were out of the fire and covered them in the hot ashes.

"That's it?" Peter asked with a hint of disappointment. He had been hoping it involved putting them in the middle of the fire. "Can it cook like that?"

Tino nodded. "Yeah. The ashes are still very hot. Dinner will be finished in about 20 minutes."

The little family assembled their chairs around the campfire and waited. Admittedly, Berwald did enjoy this aspect of camping. The air was cool and fresh, the smell of the fire was pleasant, and the family sat together in comfortable silence. Something warm brushed over Berwald's fingers- Tino's hand. He turned and smiled warmly at his wife. The moment was sweet until Tino screeched at Peter to stay out of the fire.

Like many little boys, Peter enjoyed finding things to drop into the fire and watch burn. Like many parents, Tino and Berwald were not completely thrilled about this fascination with fire.

Luckily, dinner was ready shortly after.

Shortly after dinner was S'mores. Then campfire stories. Peter told an elaborate tale involving a giant Mr. Puffin who spit fire and ate everyone. Tino told an odd tale about magical instruments that made people dance and a horse who was actually a queen. Last, Berwald shared a story about the ancient Norse gods, who actually could be quite silly.

It became dark and the little family retreated to their tent to sleep after putting out the fire. The tent was small, so small that if Berwald lay flat, his head and feet brushed against the fragile walls. The mountain was even colder at night and the three curled up together in their sleeping bags.

'_This isn't too bad,' _Berwald thought to himself. This was, of course, before he noticed the lump beneath the tent that poked him or the sounds of wildlife kept him awake. On his left, Peter was snuggled uncomfortably close. Tino, who was a light sleeper, also was having difficulties drifting off to sleep.

Then, it started raining and Berwald learned just how _old_ the tent was.

A tent's primary function is to offer protection from the forces of nature. This tent was failing at its job. Where the end of Berwald's sleeping bag touched the tent, the bag became damp. Puddles of water formed around the corners of the tent. Berwald curled tighter towards Tino's sleeping bag, trying to avoid the wetness. Peter slept soundly through the night, and eventually Tino and Berwald were able to drift off as well. At least until the beginnings of dawn.

That's when the tent collapsed.

After the initial shock of such a sudden and rude awakening, Peter laughed. "Me and Mama are just as bad at setting up tents, Papa!" he declared with amusement, not minding as the wet tent soaked him.

This made Berwald laugh as he held up the top of the tent to allow the others to escape. Suddenly, he didn't feel frustrated with the situation (unlike Tino who was growling with irritation. He was never pleasant when his sleep was interrupted). From the beginning the whole trip was so ridiculous that Berwald couldn't bring himself to feel upset anymore. So while Tino grumbled while dragging out the duffle bag and putting on a dry sweater, Berwald helped Peter start a new fire and shared his enthusiasm for breakfast.

The soft beams of the sun were beginning to filter over the mountains. It was already 5 in the morning and Berwald knew there was no chance they would get more sleep, not in the tent at least. So he set about making breakfast while his wife and child cuddled by the fire.

"It's a good thing we only planned to stay one night, right Mama," Peter observed sleepily.

Tino 'hmph'-ed in agreement.

"Uncle Matthias is going to laugh a lot," he continued, "when I tell him about this."

Berwald cringed inwardly at this. No doubt, his brother would tease him endlessly about this… _unique_ camping experience.

"Ye don't have t'," Berwald muttered, in vain hope that Matthias wouldn't hear about this.

"No way!" Peter returned immediately, "It's been so much fun! I _have_ to tell him about it!"

Berwald grunted and continued working on breakfast. Using a campfire stove, he whipped up some toast and eggs for the three of them. By the time that's finished, Tino has started snoozing in the camp chair, clutching Peter to him tightly and using his head as a pillow. With pleading eyes, Peter looked up at Papa and wriggled in an attempt to escape his Mama's firm grasp. Berwald smiled and gently helped Peter untwine from Tino's grasp. The movement half woke him and he looked at his husband with dazed eyes.

"Breakfast's on the table," Berwald murmured to Peter, who nodded and slid away.

"Sorry Ber," Tino apologized with a yawn, "I'm just so tired."

In response, Berwald pulled him from the chair and took his place, putting Tino on his lap. Tino hummed in approval and snuggled against his husband's warm chest. With Berwald's arms wrapped around him, Tino slipped back into sleep again. Peter observed this from picnic table with a look of horror and made small gagging noises.

* * *

"Pleasepleasepleaseplease!" Peter begged, hopping around Mama as he made preparations for lunch- the final mean of their camping adventure.

"Peter, don't beg," Tino replied automatically.

Peter stopped bouncing and pouted. "We're leaving after lunch and we haven't gone exploring yet. We _have _to go exploring!" he insisted.

With a huff of impatience, Tino turned to his son. "I'm sorry Peter, but Papa and I are making lunch. We can't do any exploring and you can't go by yourself."

"But Maaaaaa," he whined.

Berwald took this moment to intervene. "I can go with 'im," he offered. His wife could handle lunch on his own.

With a sigh and a resigned glance, Tino acquiesced. "Alright. Go explore."

Peter jumped with excitement. "Yes! Thanks Papa!"

The two of them set out, wearing their rain ponchos in case it started raining again; the sky had been grey all day. They started on the main walkway of the forest camping grounds, but this wasn't adventurous for Peter. Immediately, Peter found a thin trail branching off and away from the main pathways. The little boy easily slid past and skirted around bushes and tree branches. Needless to say, Berwald was having a difficult time keeping up with his overeager son.

"Pet'r slow down," Berwald called out, ducking out of the way of a low branch.

Peter completely ignored his Papa's request. "Papa, I think I can hear water!" he exclaimed, stopping to turn around and let his slow parent catch up. "Maybe there's a stream nearby!"

Ignoring his father's lack of enthusiasm, Peter continued on until, sure enough, a river could be seen from the pathway. Water rushed past quickly, rough and swelling with the added rain water. With a small cheer, Peter ran to the edge of the bank. The bank dropped off a few feet above the river's edge.

"Papa! I was right! Look at it! Can we swim in it? Wait, no, I don't think it's deep enough. And it's cold. But look!" Peter cried with his usual little bounces.

Berwald rushed forward as he watched how closely Peter danced to the edge. It was only a short drop, but Berwald's parental instincts kicked and he moved to pull Peter away.

"Be careful-" he began, but stopped short as his foot slipped on the rain slick ground and he fell.

The drop was short and was more surprising than dangerous. But Berwald landed on one foot, all the weight of his unbalanced body supported by one ankle on the slippery rocks of the riverbed. His ankle slipped and turned painfully. In only a few seconds Berwald sat in the river, half soaked and breathless.

"Papa!" Peter cried with surprise and amusement. "Are you okay?"

It took Berwald a few moments for the blood to stop pounding so loudly in his head. Apart from a throbbing ankle and a bumped elbow, he felt alright. He grunted to signify that he was fine and tried to stand up. However, as soon as he put weight on his injured ankle, pain shot up his leg and he fell again. Delicately, he tried moving his foot, but any movement was unbearable. It wasn't a simple sprain, as Berwald had hoped.

_Damn!_ He swore to himself. He was stuck. There was no way he could climb back up alone without hurting himself.

Peter waited anxiously, crouching down and looking at his Papa. As calmly as he could, Berwald turned his head and looked up at him.

"Pet'r, I can't get up by m'self," he explained slowly, keeping his voice even. "I need you t' go get Mama. Can you find yer way back?"

With wide eyes, Peter nodded, turned, and ran back through the way they came. Berwald craned his neck and tried to watch him leave, but he couldn't see far. Peter's steps quieted as they became further away. Berwald sighed and tried to settle himself into a more comfortable sitting position. From where he sat, the water passed over his legs and his lower half was submerged. It was cold and as the adrenaline from the fall left his system, Berwald began to feel colder. The campsite was 10, maybe 15 minutes away. With a deep breath, Berwald forced himself to stay calm until Peter returned with Tino. He could wait that long.

But time passed slowly. Berwald couldn't tell how long he had been sitting there, bottom wet and freezing. At least the cold felt soothing against his throbbing ankle, which Berwald was quite positive was broken. He rubbed his hands together, trying to stop their shaking. Whether they were shaking from cold or shock (or possibly both) Berwald couldn't tell. The concern of hypothermia entered Berwald's thoughts. Unfortunately, he didn't know much about the subject, so he pushed the thoughts away to avoid worrying himself.

Eventually, he heard the sound of running feet crashing through the brush.

"He's over here," Peter directly loudly, his breath coming short from hurrying.

"Berwald! Are you alright?" Tino cried, dropping down to his knees on the bank above his husband. His face was filled with worry. "Oh god, you're soaked!"

"M' ankle," Berwald offered in explanation. "Can't get up. I think it's broken."

Tino's brow came together in concentration as he nodded. He hopped down to stand beside Berwald in the riverbed. Wordlessly, Tino leaned over to help him up. Berwald put an arm over his wife's shoulder and let Tino support his weight as he stood up. He didn't dare put any more strain on his ankle. From standing, it was easier for Berwald to crawl back over the edge, with a gentle push from Tino.

Peter watched, feeling helpless, as his Papa scooted back from the edge while keeping one foot from touching the ground. Mama climbed out of the river as well, only wet from mid-calf down. He crouched beside his husband, touching his shoulder.

"You okay?" he asked, looking Berwald in the eye. Tino knew Berwald could be very stubborn when it came to be sick or injured. But however good Berwald was at keeping his face straight, Tino could always read the pain in his eyes.

"M' fine," Berwald replied, moving to get up again.

Immediately, Tino hopped up to help him, letting Berwald use him as a crutch. Tino knew Berwald was lying, that he was in more pain than he was letting on, but he let him try to walk. Berwald tried to take a few wobbling steps, but without being able to put any weight on one foot, it was slow going and awkward. Tino only let him struggle a few steps.

"Peter, come stand on Papa's other side," he commanded, turning to speak to his son who had been hanging back.

Peter obeyed without question and took his place, feeling Papa rest a hand on his shoulder.

"Okay Ber, just hold still and use Peter for balance," Tino instructed. Once Berwald complied, Tino slipped from his side and stood in front of him, crouching slightly. "Climb on my back and I'll carry you," he commanded firmly.

Of course, Berwald protested.

"Berwald Oxenstierna, you _will _let my carry you," Tino ordered, his voice sounding scarier than Peter had ever heard (Berwald, however, was familiar with the commanding tone which Tino used when those he cared about were being threatened in some way). "There's no way you'll be able to hobble down that trail, even with me and Peter helping you. Climb. On."

Reluctantly, Berwald obeyed. He didn't doubt that Tino was strong enough to carry him- he knew how _strong_ Tino was- but Berwald couldn't help but feel a tad embarrassed. It was also a long way back to their car and Berwald didn't want Tino to hurt himself carrying him all the way there.

Tino, however, was fine. With the help of Peter, Berwald was able to climb onto his back. _It's like giving Peter a piggy back ride, _Tino thought to himself as he shouldered the weight of his admittedly large husband. Once settled, Tino started hiking at a generous pace, back to the campsite. Peter followed behind, rushing to keep up with Mama. In an effort to not be completely useless, Berwald tried to keep branches and leaves away from their path.

Once back at the campsite, Tino carefully put Berwald down next to a chair and instructed him to sit.

"Peter, get a dry blanket for Papa," he ordered Peter, while gathering his wallet and keys and anything else he might need to bring to hospital.

Berwald gratefully accepted the blanket from Peter and wrapped it around himself with a shiver. Peter stood beside him, holding his hand, and resting his head on Papa's shoulder. It was his idea to go on a walk, thus Peter felt it was his fault that Papa was hurt. He'd never seen his Papa- solid, strong, caring, Papa- this venerable before. Peter didn't like it.

A rough hand patted Peter's hair- Papa's hand. Papa pulled Peter into an awkward, one armed hug.

"'m okay," Papa murmured. "Everythin's going to be fine."

Peter nodded in understanding against his shoulder.

"Ber, you ready?" Tino asked, standing in front of them. "I'm going to carry you to the car, then we're going to the hospital to get that foot of yours looked at."

"What about the camping stuff?" Peter inquired with concern, looking at the damp pile of nylon that was the tent and the food supplies lying where Tino had left them.

Tino waved his hand dismissively. "We don't have time to deal with that now. Once we get cellphone reception, I'll call Matthias. He can get the stuff later." He touched Berwald's shoulder. "Still alright honey? How's the pain?" he asked.

Berwald nodded. "I can handle it. Just a little cold," he answered, trying not to shiver.

To warm him up, Tino leaned down and gave him a quick kiss. "I know Ber. We'll get going now, dear."

Tino again insisted on carrying Berwald and because the main trails were so smooth, he practically jogged back to the car. At least, Peter had to jog to keep up. Berwald felt a great sense of pride for having such a strong wife. Tino was trying hard not to show signs of strain or exhaustion. _Just a little walk, _he told himself. Though, he was very grateful when the parking lot came into view.

With the assistance of Tino, Berwald was able to hop into the car. Instinctively, Tino buckled him in and tucked the dry blanket around him. Berwald made a small grunt of protest- he wasn't _that _helpless- but Tino waved it off. Sometimes, the only way for him to stay calm was to take extra care of everyone (Matthias often joked that Tino was _awfully_ maternal, but Berwald thought it was one of his best qualities).

"Okay, are we all good?" Tino asked as he buckled himself in at the driver's seat. He glanced back at Peter, who sat very solemnly. "Alright Peter?"

"I'm fine Mama," he replied softly.

The drive to the hospital was thankfully short. Tino had worried that he wouldn't be able to locate one in an unfamiliar area. Soon, Berwald was being wheeled away to get an x-ray, leaving Tino and Peter waiting in the hallway. Feeling relieved that they'd made it to the hospital without major incident, Tino sat down with a sigh. Peter sat stiffly beside him. Tino could tell Peter was still worried when scooted closer and lowered his head onto Tino's lap.

"Sweetheart, everything's going to be okay now," Tino assured him as he stroked Peter's messy hair. "If Papa's ankle is broken, then the Doctor's will fix it. So there's nothing to worry about, okay?"

Peter nodded with a sniff. "But it's all my fault," he murmured, his voice cracking.

"Don't be silly," Tino replied, almost having to stop himself from laughing. "How could it be your fault?"

Peter buried his head in shame. "It was my idea to explore. And then I was too close to the stream," was his muffled reply. "And Papa is probably mad at me, but hiding it."

Instantly, Peter felt Mama's soft hands pulling him upright. His face was very serious. "Peter Oxenstierna-Väinämöinen, this is _not_ your fault. Papa is _not_ mad at you," he said firmly. Peter let himself cry freely now. Mama hugged him close to his chest. "Okay?"

"I understand," Peter replied with a shaky breath.

"Sometimes Peter, you have the silliest thoughts in that head of yours," Mama noted softly, planting a kiss on top of his head.

Their stay at the hospital didn't last long. Berwald's ankle was broken, but it was a clean break. He'd be in a cast for at least six weeks, but the doctors assured him that it could've been worse. Using crutches, he was able to move around well enough, but he'd have to rely on his wife to get him around at times because he still couldn't put weight on his foot. That thought did seem daunting to Berwald, but Tino assured him that everything was going to be fine.

Well, until Matthias.

It was when the little family was returning to the car that Tino remembered the campsite, their things, and that he needed to call Matthias. Matthias was roaring with laughter when the situation was fully explained to him- Berwald was blushing furiously and scowling with more ferocity than normal- and was more than willing to help pack up camp.

"Man, what a disaster!" he teased over the speakerphone. "You guys couldn't have had a worse trip if you'd tried!"

That was when Berwald reached over, took the phone from Tino and hung up.

With Matthias, the trip was ending in disaster, just as Berwald had predicted.

* * *

AN: Aaaaaaaaaah! I'm sorry this took so long! But I made it longer to make up for it. I hope you guys enjoy it!

My family has only gone on one camping trip. It didn't go as horribly as this one, but our tent did flood. We have never been camping since.

The campfire story that Tino tells is loosely based off a Finnish fairy tale called "The Magician's Gifts". It's an interesting one that I boiled down into one sentence, but you should look up the original.

Thanks so much to all you dear readers! You've been incredibly supportive. I do plan on continuing this fic, however, I'm also working on another Hetalia project right now as well (this has been the cause of the dely). Don't worry, I have way to many ideas to abandon this! I'll try to be better about updating weekly.

If you're interested in my other fic, I should be posting the first few chapters soon. This fic will feature Canada and the Netherlands, as well as the rest of the lovely FACE family.

Lots of love!  
Allie


	12. Chapter 12

In Which Berwald and Tino have a Discussion with Peter about Gender Politics and Homosexuality

_(Peter is 8)_

"Oh, that explains it!" Peter's teacher stated as she stood to shake hands with Tino and Berwald. "I'm Miss Pasternak."

The parents shared a look, before taking their seats before the teacher's desk. Peter's teacher smiled brightly at them. Miss Pasternak taught 3rd grade and looked perfect for the part. Her hair was blonde and bouncy, eyes bright and blue, figure short and soft. After only a month of school, Peter had already decided that she was his favorite teacher ever and that he would never like a teacher as much as Miss Pasternak (and not just because she had a funny name).

It wasn't hard to see why. The classroom was bright and though the walls were painted a dull beige, it couldn't be seen under vibrant posters, pictures, and artwork. It was just the sort of environment that Peter would enjoy. Each desk had a happy little name tag. Peter sat in the front row and Tino could see that his name tag almost stretched the whole length of the desk.

"Mr.'s Tino and Berwald Oxenstierna-Väinämöinen, right?" she greeted with a sly sort of smile. "It's so lovely to finally meet Peter's Mom and Dad."

Internally, Berwald and Tino both cringed, but for very different reasons.

Berwald knew that most of the Parent-Teacher conferences they'd had over the years started with "It's so lovely to meet _Peter's_ parents" and quickly turned to "Peter's a very _energetic_ child" and ended with "I hope we can work _together_ to _improve_ his behavior". However, Berwald completely failed to notice that Miss Pasternak had, without missing a beat, referred to the couple as _Mom_ and Dad.

Tino, on the other hand, did notice and instantly worried about what Peter had told the class about them, whether the Miss Pasternak and the other students understood Peter's preference to call him Mama or if they knew he was a man at all. Peter was getting closer to the age where calling Tino 'Mama' was no longer a cute mistake from a child who didn't know better. Peter was reaching the age when having two male parents was weird and worthy of teasing.

"Peter is such a lovely kid," Miss Pasternak began, pulling the parents from their internal worrying.

They shared another look, bracing themselves for what they knew was coming next.

"He's full of energy, but is very sweet. It's clear to me that he wants to learn, he just needs some help paying attention," she continued.

Both parents visibly relaxed. Berwald instantly hummed in agreement. _'Finally, a teacher who understands'_ he thought gratefully.

"Yes, Peter does get caught up in the people around him. But usually a simple reminder is all he needs to get back on task," Tino explained, confirming what Miss Pasternak had discovered for herself.

She nodded. "His classwork is a little messy, but he's a smart boy who likes to play the class clown."

The parents laughed. Yes, that was Peter.

"He's at grade level in his reading and math," Miss Pasternak listed off, glancing at her assessment sheet. "He excels in art," she added, pulling out examples for Tino and Berwald to observe.

They admired their son's work. Peter had always enjoyed drawing and Tino and Berwald were pleased to see his improvement. The teacher showed them several more assignments where Peter had done exceptionally well, before returning them to his portfolio.

"Overall, Peter's doing very well. Do you have any questions?" Miss Pasternak asked as the meeting dwindled to a close.

Another look was shared between Berwald and Tino before Berwald spoke up.

"Any concerns?"

At this Miss Pasternak smiled slyly again. "Well, there was something I wanted to bring up with you, but now I understand it's not a problem," she replied.

Tino's brow furrowed with concern. "Care to explain?" he asked firmly. Berwald's hand came to meet his and squeezed comfortingly.

"It's nothing to worry about Mr. Oxenstierna-Väinämöinen," the teacher reassured with a smile. "Peter usually gets along well with the other students, especially Kiku Honda. But recently he's been getting into arguments with classmates about referring to his mother as 'he'."

'_Ah yes,'_ Tino thought to himself. It was just as he'd feared, Peter was probably being teased for having two dads. He squeezed Berwald's hand in anticipation.

"It caused some confusion, but I know understand," she continued, "I was only concerned that Peter might have some gender confusion."

At this, Berwald laughed- a genuine laugh too, not just his usual chuckle. Tino blushed and pulled his hand sharply away.

"I-it's… it's sort of a joke in the family," Tino stammered in explanation. "We can talk to him about it. To be sure he understands and doesn't continue arguing with his classmates."

"Then I believe that's everything!"

Miss Pasternak smiled as she stood up, shaking the parents hands in farewell. As they headed back to the car, Berwald was still smiling brightly in amusement. Tino didn't find the situation as amusing as his husband did. _This was a serious issue!_ It was finally time for the parents to have a discussion with Peter about having two dads and Peter's habit of calling him 'Mama'. Peter couldn't keep getting into arguments with his peers- Tino worried it would lead to getting in fist fights when he was older.

Berwald tried to contain his amusement once they reached the car. He could sense Tino's worry and when Tino was worried he became very protective (which sometimes resulted in the emergence of Mama Bear Tino, something that was very frightening).

"That went better than I expected," he offered as they drove back home.

"Yes, he seems to be doing well," Tino acknowledged, "But, we need to talk to him about the mother issue."

Berwald grunted in agreement. The rest of the drive was quiet. Peter was waiting anxiously at home with the neighbor that they used as a babysitter from time to time. As soon as the parents came through the front door, Peter was bouncing nervously at their feet, asking how the meeting went.

"It went just fine dear," Mama answered, giving him a hug. Berwald was thanking the sitter and Tino waited for her to leave before saying anything more to Peter.

"What did the teacher say about me?" Peter asked eagerly.

"She said some very nice things about you," Mama replied, removing his jacket. "But let's talk about it at the table."

With a blink of concern, Peter nodded and walked slowly to the kitchen. Talking at the table meant there was something serious. Once at seated, Peter tapped his foot anxiously against the table leg. Internally, he tried to remember anything bad he might've done at school. But there were only a few things that came to mind. Was he going to be scolded? His Papa and Mama joined him, sitting on the opposite side of the table. They shared a look, before Mama began.

"Miss Pasternak said you're doing really well," he started with the positives. "She likes your energy and willingness to learn. It looks like you're getting better at paying attention."

At this praise, Peter beamed. "I've been trying really hard to stay on task!" he proclaimed proudly.

"Good job," Papa applauded warmly.

That's when Mama took Papa's hand and they shared another look. Peter prepared himself to be scolded, he knew what that look meant. It was their 'we're about to talk about naughty things Peter has done' look.

"Your teacher also told us that you've been getting into arguments with your classmates," Mama stated. Peter ducked his head in embarrassment. "We want you to keep trying to work on that, alright? We're proud that you're better at paying attention, but it makes us sad when you fight with your friends."

"But they said that you couldn't be my Mom if you were a boy. They said you were a girl!" Peter protested. He looked at his parents pleadingly, wanting them to understand. That wasn't just something Peter could let slide!

"Well, that's understandable, because most of the time Moms are girls," Mama explained.

Peter's little brow furrowed in confusion and he stared at the table, trying to work it out in his head. Finally he looked up again, "But you need a Mom and a Dad in a family, right? So that's why you're my Mama, even if you're a boy. Because you do the stuff that girl Moms do."

Berwald had to resist the urge to chuckle at Peter's naiveté. Instead he smiled with amusement (until he was given a stern glance from his wife).

"Well, that's not really how it works," Tino tried to explain.

The little brow furrowed even more and Peter started blinking furiously. "So, are we not a real family?" he asked with a trembling voice.

Instantly, Tino shook his head. "No, no of course we're a real family, sweetheart," he reassured. "A lot of families have a Mom and a Dad, because a girl and boy fall in love. But sometimes, a girl falls in love with another girl or a boy falls in love with boy. That doesn't mean they're not a family though. All families are different and some only have one parent. That's okay too," Tino attempted to explain. "So, just because you have two dads, doesn't mean we're not a real family. Well, some people think that, but they're wrong."

Peter looked even more confused than before. The concept that a family didn't require a mom and a dad was completely foreign to him. "Does that mean I have to stop calling you Mama?" he asked innocently. "Do I have to call you Papa too?"

With a smile, Tino replied, "You can still call me Mama if you like. I don't mind." He really didn't and it would be too weird to be referred to as anything else. "Just know that other people may not understand, so you can't argue with them about it, okay? You have to be politely explain."

Peter nodded with understanding. "Okay," he agreed, feeling better.

"And you need to apologize t' the people you argued with," Berwald added.

Again, Peter nodded.

"Good!" Tino exclaimed, standing up. "Who want's ice cream?"

Instantly, Peter was on his feet, bouncing with excitement. "IdoIdoIdo!" he chanted. The heaviness of the conversation was lost in the joy of ice cream.

Berwald sat back and watched with a smile at his wife and child as they skipped around the kitchen for ice cream. He kissed Tino softly when he placed a bowl for him. A small gagging noise from Peter interrupted them and they laughed.

For now, they'd resolved any problems regarding having two dads. Berwald worried, thinking about how had been teased in school for being homosexual, knowing that Peter could be teased similarly for his homosexual parents. It wasn't fair. It was beyond their control, but that's how the world was.

But, for now, things were okay.

* * *

AN: Hello dearies!

This wasn't quite how I wanted this chapter to turn out, but it still gets the point across. Mainly, that Peter is adorable ;)

Hugs and cookies for all you lovelies! Thanks for reading, reviewing, following, and favoriting.

Love,  
Allie


	13. Chapter 13

In Which Peter has a Visit from his Brother

_(Peter is 9) _

The call came during dinner time. To be more precise, the call came during the frenzied cleanup of a sticky grape juice spill. Peter was exclaiming about the purple stains in his favorite shorts and his wet lap while Tino was reaching across the table with napkins in hand.

"Ber! Get the phone!" Tino cried as he frantically tried to soak up juice before it reached the other edge of the table.

Berwald quickly tossed his own napkin into the mess and hurried to the phone.

"H'llo!" he stated urgently, with perhaps more force than necessary.

"Um, hello. Is Mr. Berwald Oxenstierna available?" the voice at the other end asked cautiously.

"This is him," he replied, trying to keep his tone calm. He stepped out of the kitchen and into the hallway, to avoid the sound of Tino yelling at Peter to "stop sitting there and get a rag".

"This is Julie, from Mr. Ellis's office, the social worker in charge of your adoption case," the voice recited.

Berwald blinked in surprise. They hadn't heard from the social worker in years, since an early check up on how Peter was adjusting to the family.

The woman continued. "We're calling on behalf Arthur Kirkland, Peter's 17 year old biological brother. Mr. Kirkland is interested in establishing visitation rights with Peter."

This was a surprise. Berwald and Tino knew very little about Peter's life before adopting him. The most they knew was what the social workers had told him, that Peter had trust and abandonment issues as a result from neglect. In the five years in their care, Peter had not once spoken about his birth family or expressed any interest in establishing contact with them.

"Oh," was all Berwald could manage as a reply.

"Consenting Mr. Kirkland visitation rights would allow for contact via phone call, email, or visits. More specific parameters can be decided based on your family's needs. The decision to allow visitation is completely up to you and your child," she recited.

"I'll need to discuss this with m' wife," Berwald replied, feeling overwhelmed.

"Of course. Feel free to call if you have any questions. Let us know what you decide. Have a good evening."

Berwald hung up the phone and stood in the hallway, trying to soak in the information. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. One thing Berwald was certain of was the need to discuss this with his wife before mentioning anything to Peter. Berwald worried about bringing up old fears and insecurities or triggering some negative reaction in him.

A shout from Tino pulled Berwald away from his thoughts and back into the chaos of the kitchen.

* * *

Later, when Peter was grumbling in the kitchen while mopping up his mess, Berwald pulled Tino aside to discuss the phone call.

"I didn't even know Peter had a brother!" Tino gasped with surprise. He lowered his voice instantly, upon seeing Berwald's shushing gesture. But Peter didn't appear to have heard them. "Why would he want to contact Peter all of a sudden?"

"I don' know," Berwald replied, "But I don' think it's a good idea."

His wife bit his lip, looking conflicted. "Me neither. From what we know, I would guess Peter's time with his biological family wasn't pleasant," he thought aloud. "But, at the same time, perhaps we're being a little selfish?"

Berwald's brow furrowed. It was true that he didn't feel comfortable with the idea of Peter becoming familiar with his biological family. But was it because he was worried for Peter's emotional and mental health? Or was he simply afraid of sharing his adoptive son?

He shook himself of these thoughts. "Should we talk t' Peter?" he asked.

After a moment of hesitation, Tino nodded. "Yes, I think he's old enough to have a say in this decision."

They waited until Peter finished mopping up to sit him down. Peter had long since learned how to tell when they were going to have a serious discussion, but hadn't yet learned how to tell if he was in trouble. So he sat on the seat opposite his parents in the living room, nervously bouncing his legs. Mama and Papa were sitting close together, so close their legs were touching from the thighs down. Peter watched as they shared a look and held each other's hands before Mama opened his mouth to speak.

"I'm sorry!" Peter cried, before Mama could say anything. The anxiety was too crushing for him. "Whatever I did, I'm sorry and I'll try to do better!"

Both Mama and Papa blinked with wide, surprised eyes. Peter squirmed uncomfortably in his seat, waiting for the reprimand. Surely, that was coming next. He hadn't seen his parents so serious and worried in his life.

"Peter, we're not- you aren't in trouble," Mama stumbled to explain. "Actually, we need to talk about your real- your biological family."

The shock made Peter's whole body freeze. Distant, dark memories flashed through his mind. There wasn't much that he remembered about his old family- there wasn't much he _wanted_ to remember about his old family. Peter never talked about it, the source of his abandonment issues, and he thought his parents had a mutual understanding not to broach the subject.

Memories of being completely isolated, being so alone, darkness closing in around him, absolute silence all burst to the forefront of his mind. Suddenly, his chest felt tight. His breaths weren't coming fast enough. Someone was trying to talk to him, but he didn't hear them. _Don't make me go back! _

"Peter, it's okay. You're safe. Deep breaths," the calming voice of Mama instructed.

The weight of Papa sitting beside him and the warmth of Mama's hands on his knees pulled Peter away from his spiraling thoughts. He gasped, his whole body shaking. With slow, deep breaths, and quiet encouragements from his parents, he calmed.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" Mama asked once Peter's breathing was back to normal. He was kneeling in front of Peter and watched his adoptive son with concern etched on his face.

Peter nodded, feeling embarrassed. Papa's arm wrapped around his shoulder, comforting and supporting him. _Silly thoughts, _Peter reprimanded himself. His adoptive parents would never abandon him like that.

"We don't have t' talk about this, if you don' want t'," Papa murmured softly.

They patiently waited for Peter to collect his thoughts. Mama's soft hands rubbed in slow circles on Peter's knees. Papa held Peter's hand in his own large, calloused one. With deep breaths, Peter cleared his mind of the ugly thoughts that came. Mama and Papa wanted to talk about his old family and Peter wanted to know why.

"No, I'm okay," Peter replied finally. He pulled his hand from his Papa's. "Let's talk."

His parents shared a look. "I don't know if that's a good idea," Mama began, "It's not important-"

But Peter was insistent. "No! Tell me what you wanted to talk about!"

Another look was shared between his parents before Mama started to speak. "Today we were contacted by the adoption agency about your older brother, Arthur," he explained softly. Mama watched for a reaction from Peter, but when he gave little response, he continued. "He would like to establish contact with you, if you want."

"You don't have t' if you don't want t'," Papa added.

"That's right," Mama confirmed with a nod. "We all need to decide together whether or not you want to let your brother see you. If you're not ready or don't want to have any contact with him at all, that's completely understandable. We want to do what's best for you."

"I understand," Peter replied.

_Arthur. _Peter didn't have any clear memories of a brother. Fortunately, there was no panicking feeling when he tried to think about him. It was odd, knowing somewhere out there was Peter's brother, someone who he knew nothing about and who likely knew nothing about Peter.

"Why?" Peter asked aloud, "Why does he want to see me now?"

"I don't know sweetheart," Mama admitted. "We don't have to decide this tonight. Why don't we sleep on it?"

Papa hummed in agreement. Thoughtfully, Peter nodded. His parents watched him carefully, looking for some sort of reaction. Luckily, he didn't seem like he would have another panic attack. Peter was merely thoughtful, surprised, and confused. After several minutes, he excused himself and went to bed.

Peter _never _voluntarily went to bed.

* * *

The next day at school, Peter couldn't focus. Admittedly, this was usually a problem for him, because he sat next to his best friends Kiku and Raivis. That day, however, Peter wasn't distracted by his friends, but by his own thoughts.

_I have a brother. He wants to see me. _

Both Kiku and Raivis had older brothers. In fact, Kiku had lots of siblings. Peter had never thought much about having a brother or sister; he'd never wished desperately for one. But Kiku and Raivis liked their brothers, a lot. Would Peter like his brother, if he met him? Would he like Peter?

Eventually, Kiku asked if Peter was okay, sensing his distraction. Peter brushed it off as nothing, not wanting to tell his friends.

By the time he got home from school, Peter had made his decision. He wanted to meet Arthur, despite how nervous he felt. Peter would never get over his curiosity otherwise.

* * *

A week later, the family anxiously awaited the arrive of Arthur Kirkland. The table was set and dinner prepared. Tino doubled and triple checked the oven to make sure everything was fine. He and Berwald were determined to make the best of the situation. They both worried that the meeting might be traumatic for Peter and lead to unpleasant memories. Subconsciously, though they knew the idea was ridiculous, they worried that Peter might become more curious about his biological family. It was silly of course; they would always be Peter's real family, even if he wasn't biologically their child.

Peter was already seated at the table, swinging his legs to keep himself calm. As the time came closer to Arthur's arrival, Peter started fiddling with the buttons on his shirt; anything to distract him.

Right on time, the doorbell rang. Peter jumped out of his seat, ready to run to the door, but Mama beat him to it. He gestured for Peter to stay back, as he made his way to the entrance. Rejected, Peter sat back down on his seat at waited. Berwald offered a hum of encouragement.

At the front door, Tino took a moment to compose himself before opening the door. Standing on their porch was a well-kept young man who looked remarkably like Peter. Tino couldn't help but stare at him. His hair was the same messy color. He had the same thick eyebrows over eyes that were green, rather than blue.

Nervously, the young man stepped forward. "Hello, is this the Oxen- Oxenst… Is this where Peter Kirkland lives?" he asked politely.

Tino nodded and smiled. "Yes, and you must be Arthur," Tino greeted. "Please come in."

The newcomer stepped over the threshold and removed his shoes, placing them beside the others near the door. Tino watched his every movement, taking note of his politeness.

"I'm Tino, one of Peter's fathers," Tino introduced himself, offering his hand to shake.

"It's a pleasure," Arthur replied smoothly, shaking his hand. "I really appreciate you letting me come and visit. I'm sure it must be difficult for you and your husband."

Tino shook his head. "No, not at all," he lied easily. "Please, come to the kitchen. Dinner is ready."

Arthur followed behind his host, taking deep breaths. The entry way opened into the living room and the hallway continued to the kitchen. There, Peter waited, watching the entrance with anticipation. As soon as he caught sight of the blonde stranger, Peter's body froze.

_It was him. _

And suddenly, Peter recognized him. Foggy memories that he'd forgotten came to the surface. They weren't bad one either. Images of Arthur keeping him safe, arguing with a man who must be their father, Arthur letting him cry, and holding him close all flashed through Peter's mind_._ Hesitantly, Peter hopped off his chair and approached him.

"H-hello Peter," the newcomer greeted anxiously. "I'm Arthur. Do… do you remember me?"

Words couldn't come to him at the moment, so Peter rushed forward and clung to Arthur instead. He wrapped both arms around his waist and held as tightly as I could. After a moment of hesitation, the embrace was returned.

"I'm sorry Peter," Arthur murmured in his ear.

From that point on, dinner went splendidly. With the initial awkwardness over, Peter did what he did best: talk. Arthur loved it, wanting to hear about anything that he may have missed. Tino and Berwald were more than happy to oblige, sharing plenty of embarrassing stories about Peter. Normally, Peter would blush furiously and protest, but he found himself laughing along.

Eventually, Tino insisted it was time for Peter to say goodnight and go to bed. He wouldn't go until Arthur promised to visit again and gave everyone a goodnight hug. The three remaining watched Peter fondly as he left and climbed up the stairs. Arthur turned back to Peter's parents, who were more odd, but pleasant than he had anticipated.

"Thanks so much for letting me come," he said once again. "You don't know- this means so much to me."

Berwald nodded in acknowledgement and Tino smiled. As parents they could understand exactly where Arthur was coming from.

"It's really no problem," Tino replied. "We were a little concerned at first, but things seemed to have turned out just fine."

"Before y' go, can we ask a question?" Berwald asked, saying more words that Arthur had heard all night.

"Yes, of course," he responded immediately.

Berwald glanced at his wife, before Tino asked the question for him. "We were hoping you could tell us about Peter's life before he became ours," he stated tentatively. "Peter's never talked about it directly, but it's clear he has some underlying issues stemming from it."

Arthur cleared his throat. "Yes, I wouldn't be surprised," he admitted. He settled himself more comfortably in his chair before continuing. "Before Peter was born, we were a normal, happy family," he began.

Tino and Berwald could already hear the oncoming 'but'.

"But after our mother died, shortly after Peter turned 2, things became worse," Arthur continued. "Our father lost himself in his grief and took up a drinking habit. I was only 10 at the time, but I quickly became the one responsible for Peter." He spoke with an even tone, saying everything so matter of fact.

"Father ignored Peter, wouldn't acknowledge his existence. When I was at school, he'd leave Peter to fend for himself. Father wouldn't speak to Peter, or even look at him. I tried to talk Father, but he wouldn't listen. After two years of neglect, I finally had the sense to call child services," Arthur finished. He glanced at the couple across the table with an apologetic expression.

Tino and Berwald sat quietly as they absorbed the new information. It shouldn't have been too surprising, but it hurt to know their dear Peter had gone through such neglect at such a young age. Tino's eyes were teary. _How could anyone do that to his baby? _Seeking comfort, he clung tightly onto to his husband's hand. Berwald was quietly seething, wondering what sort of lowlife could to that to a _child. _Berwald knew well enough that kind of emotional abuse was almost worse than any physical abuse inflicted.

"It's all in the past now," Arthur tried to assure them. He avoided mentioning what happened to himself after they were both put into child services. "I'm just glad Peter has lovely parents now. He deserves you."

* * *

After Arthur's first visit, a routine was established. Once or twice a month, Arthur would come for the weekend or Peter stayed at his house (Tino and Berwald secretly preferred this, as it gave them alone time there weren't used to).

Almost as quickly as the brothers connected, they started behaving more like normal brothers, meaning they behaved as if they didn't get along at all. Arthur was much more disciplined than Peter and had a short temper. Of course, Peter loved to push his buttons and purposely infuriate him. The eight year age difference didn't aid the situation either. Tino and Berwald didn't concern themselves over the fighting, knowing they were only making up for the five years they'd missed. In fact, they would have been concerned if Peter and Arthur were always perfectly civil to each other.

Needless to say, there was lots of yelling, name calling, and rough housing when the two were together.

Peter looked forward to every visit.

* * *

AN: Hello sweetie pies!

This chapter was suggested by JustPlainOldMe who left such a lovely review. I hope this was what you had in mind! I debated over whether to make it more angsty but, as usual, fluff won out in the end :3 If anyone else has prompts or suggestions, I'd love to hear them (whether they're about a young or old Peter, it doesn't matter. I can skip around :D).

Thanks to all you dears who've left reviews or favorited or followed! I feel like I have the most supportive readers in the world!

Love,  
Allie 3


	14. Chapter 14

In Which Uncle Matthias, Lukas, and Emil Commandeer the Chapter

_(Emil is 11)_

Matthias could feel Lukas let out a long-suffering sigh when he slipped his arms around his slender shoulders and pulled him close to his chest. A few years prior, Lukas would have wriggled free from his grasp and shoved his boyfriend away. But now, after 7 years of working from roommates to awkward friends to proper lovers, Lukas was much less stubborn about being affectionate.

Still, Matthias couldn't help but note that Lukas was sitting unusually stiff. He chalked it up to Lukas being in one of those moods and brushed the thought from his mind. That evening was an important one for Matthias. Nothing could go wrong because he had something very special to ask Lukas. His heart pounded loudly in his chest from excitement (and maybe just a touch of anxiety).

The generic romantic comedy played on the TV without either of them paying much attention to it. Lukas made several critiques at the beginning of the movie, but had settled into silence as it continued. Matthias took it as another bad sign; Lukas loved to mock these sorts of movies and that was the only reason they watched them. The stiffness and the silence could only mean one thing; something was troubling him.

In an effort to soften him up, Matthias slipped a finger under Lukas's chin and guided him so they were facing each other. Slowly, Matthias lowered his head to brush lips in an innocent kiss.

"C'mon Lulu," he whispered in his ear, ignoring the quiet hiss of complaint (Lukas hated the nickname, but Matthias thought he secretly liked it). "Emil's gone for the evening. It's the start of the weekend. We can relax."

Despite their faces being inches apart, Lukas didn't react. His expression was set at his default uninterested and bored look. Matthias frowned in concern. Whatever was bothering Lukas must have been important if he was being this prickly.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Matthias asked softly, instantly pulling back to give him some space.

"It's nothing," Lukas replied instantly, wiping his hand tiredly over his face. He turned away from his lover to stare absently at the TV screen.

Matthias retracted himself completely from Lukas and shifted so his whole attention was on him.

"Are you upset with me?" Matthias tried.

He was panicking a little. The evening not going as he'd intended. It was supposed to be quiet and romantic, giving the perfect atmosphere for him to ask…. But Lukas kept his gaze straight ahead, not giving him an answer.

"Please, Luke, talk to me," he begged.

With a tired sigh, Lukas turned his head with a flip of his hair to look at him. "I know what you're planning for tonight," he answered bluntly.

All of the air was sucked out of Matthias's lungs. Lukas _knew_ and didn't look happy about it. They'd been together for so long. Matthias was one of the few people that Lukas would open up around besides his own brother. Matthias didn't think such an offer would be unwanted. All his plans for how he would ask were out the window.

"And… what do you think about it?" he asked hesitantly with the vain hope that he was wrong and Lukas was excited and just showing it with his usual emotional distance- but Matthias had learned to read Lukas and his odd ways of expressing himself and already knew what to expect.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Lukas responded indifferently.

Without wanting to see his boyfriend's reaction, Lukas abruptly stood up and escaped to the kitchen. Matthias felt his whole body deflate. After a moment of processing, he stood up and rushed after the retreating figure. Lukas was standing at the opposite end of the kitchen, fiddling with the coffee maker, and keeping his back to Matthias.

"So… are you saying no?" Matthias asked, hanging onto the frame of the door for support.

Lukas didn't answer and reached in the cupboard for his favorite coffee mug. The lack of a response was enough for Matthias to understand. No, Lukas didn't want to marry him. He didn't think it was a good idea. Shock, rejection, and hurt flared through Matthias. Unfortunately, he knew no other way to deal with pain than combating it with anger.

"I don't understand," Matthias stated, trying to keep calm, but his voice was strangled with emotion. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides, cursing Lukas for his emotional constipation and ability to remain so calm.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Lukas repeated coolly, back still to him.

"Why not?" Matthias demanded.

The force of the words struck Lukas and he froze. He knew that tone of voice; it was the voice Matthias used when he couldn't keep a cap on his feelings. It was also a sign he was ready to fight. Well, Lukas knew how to hold his own when Matthias was acting like a child.

"Because it would never have worked," Lukas hissed over his shoulder, slamming his mug on the counter. "Our relationship has always been one of convenience."

Lukas was lying and they both knew it. Since the beginning of their relationship, Matthias had always understood that Lukas didn't cope with his feelings in the same way others did. He'd much rather brush his feelings under the proverbial rug and keep his cool exterior in check. But Matthias was fed up with it. Finally, he thought he'd reached the point where he understood Lukas and helped him open up.

"That's bullshit and you know it!" Matthias hissed.

Again, Lukas didn't reply and kept his back to him. Matthias suspected it was so he couldn't read the emotions on his face. With a growl of frustration, Matthias grabbed at his hair in an attempt to stay calm. He loved Lukas, he really did, but sometimes he got fed up with his self-conscious, emotionally avoident behavior. No matter what Matthias did, Lukas always held something back.

"Fine! You just keep up that adorable emotionless asshole act of yours," Matthias spat. He spun around and stomped to the kitchen. He turned back before he left and added, "If you want to deny our _entire _relationship, that's fine by me."

As soon as he left the house, Matthias whipped out his phone. He needed a drink and he needed it soon, before he said something to Lukas that he'd regret. Luckily, he knew just the people to call.

"Yo Gil!" he greeted as soon as he heard the call connect. "I need to get drunk."

"Hehe, havin' trouble with the missus, Matt?" Gilbert replied, easily detecting the angry edge in his buddy's voice.

"Doesn't matter," Matthias avoided, kicking his feet against the sidewalk. "Can you meet me at the usual place, asap?"

"Yes indeed! Want me to call up Al?"

"Yah, that'd be great," Matthias replied, hung up, and started jogging to the usual bar he and his friends hung out at, letting the crisp air cool his temper.

* * *

The warmth from cup of coffee clutched tightly in his hands helped Lukas remain calm. His fingers still trembled with the emotion. It was harder for him to hide what he felt from Matthias in recent days. He brought the mug to his lips and drank slowly. The bitter taste helped soothe his nerves and align his thoughts.

Lukas knew that he was being completely unfair to Matthias. But he couldn't just accept his proposal. There was Emil to take care of, first of all. It was just… impractical, he convinced himself, ignoring the deep seeded problems with commitment and trust. Yes, the biggest reason he couldn't marry his long term boyfriend was because of Emil.

Speaking of, Emil would need to be picked up from Peter's house some time that evening. Lukas checked the clock, but it was only 7:30. It was still too early for him to drive over and get him, no matter how wonderful of a distraction it would be. Lukas pulled out his phone anyway and texted his little brother, letting him know he could be picked up at any time. The response was almost immediate; Lukas's phone buzzed before he'd finished putting it in his pocket.

_Get me now _the text read.

It was followed by a second: _Peter's being annoying. _

With a small smirk at his endearing brother, Lukas gratefully prepared to go fetch him. Emil often liked to pretend he wasn't fond of Peter, but they'd been friends for long that Lukas understood otherwise.

Matthias's brother lived on the other side of town. Lukas suspected this was intentional and Berwald was trying to keep his distance. That was often the best way to deal with Matthias, Lukas had learned. Being around his loud presence all the time would try anyone's patience. Anyone who knew Lukas would be amazed he managed to live with the guy for so long- let alone date him. Lukas surprised himself; Matthias was just so annoying. And loud. And usually drunk.

But he was also loyal, affection, and protective.

And most importantly, Matthias was patient enough to suffer through Lukas and his general uncaring attitude.

Before Lukas realized it, he was sitting in Berwald's driveway with the engine off. Silently, he cursed himself for thinking about Matthias the entire way there. He checked his face in the rear view mirror, making sure he didn't look visibly upset. Emil would still be able to tell, but he wouldn't say anything. Lukas was only trying to fool Tino, who was far too caring for his own good.

The couple greeted him pleasantly, inviting him in and asking him to join them for dessert. How could Lukas refuse dessert? He nodded softly and accepted, watching Tino's face light up. Berwald gave him a welcoming nod which Lukas returned and then followed him to the kitchen.

The boys were already sitting at the table, eating ice cream. Peter's eyes were bright as he explained the entire plot of _Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess_ to Emil in great detail. As usual, Peter's hair was a mess, he had a few scraps on his forehead, and generally looked scraggly. Emil sat politely listening, though clearly uninterested. His appearance was neat and orderly and he sat with near perfect posture. Lukas couldn't help but smile at his palpable desperation to be recognized as mature.

"Hey Uncle Lukas!" Peter greeted loudly as soon as he saw him observing them from the doorway.

Normally, Lukas wouldn't be bothered by being called 'Uncle'- it'd been going on for years and Peter was too damn adorable to be upset with for long- but that evening the term stung. When he frowned, Peter quickly back tracked, but Lukas waved it off.

"Hello Peter, Little One," Lukas returned, sitting beside Emil.

"Don't call me that," Emil hissed quietly.

Lukas grinned with amusement. "Call you what?" he asked innocently.

Emil huffed and turned back to his ice cream, but he couldn't hide the faint blush spreading across his cheeks. Like any good brother, Lukas enjoyed embarrassing Emil at every possible moment. It made Emil indignant, but Lukas felt it was good for him. After all, Emil was just reaching a stage filled with attitude and he should be given it as good as he gave.

"Here's a bowl for you," Tino announced, setting the item before Lukas. He and Berwald sat themselves at the table as well, also enjoying their dessert. "We weren't expecting you for a while," Tino stated.

From the expressions on Berwald and Tino's faces, Lukas suspected they knew about Matthias's plans. _Fantastic. _Lukas forced a deep breath and busied himself with his delicious cold dessert.

"Matthias and I had an abrupt change of plans," Lukas explained, refusing to say anymore on the subject. His temporary good mood was ruined.

Eventually, Peter and Tino allowed them to leave. As soon as the two were in the car, Emil sighed exasperatedly.

"What are you and Matthias fighting about now?" he asked curtly. He was far more observant than Lukas gave him credit for. Emil could read his older brother more easily than anyone else and probably understood him better than he did himself.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lukas replied. "Nothing's wrong." He knew Emil could see right through the lie, but he hoped he would get the hint and just drop it.

"Yah, right. Nothing's wrong, which is why you were ready to pick me up two hours earlier than we planned and you've been trying way too hard to look bored," Emil responded coolly.

Lukas glanced at his brother with a raised brow. The kid was watching him with a smug expression. _Damn, he takes too much after me,_ Lukas thought.

"So, what did you do this time?" Emil pressed.

"Me?" Lukas questioned with disbelief. "I never do anything."

To Lukas's disdain, Emil snorted and rolled his eyes. "Oh, right. So what did Matthias do that you overreacted to?" He could be a real brat when he wanted.

"Emil, I'm not discussing this now, particularly not with you," Lukas sighed.

* * *

A large hand clapped onto Matthias's shoulder. He glanced beside him to see Alfred Jones coming to join him and Gilbert. They'd already been at the bar for a while and Matthias was pleasantly buzzed. Al smiled brightly like he always did and settled down on the bar stool beside him.

"So, what's up guys?" Al asked enthusiastically.

Matthias fiddled with the drink in front of him, shoulders hunched. He nodded to Gil, who sat beside him, to explain.

"'Thias is having relationship problems. His little boyfriend didn't accept," Gil explained and took a swig of his beer.

"That sucks man," Al said sympathetically, giving him another pat on the back for comfort. "I thought Lu was totally into you."

"He is," Matthias countered, slamming his palm on the bar counter. "But for whatever reason, he's decided to pretend that he's not."

The drinking wasn't helping his mood as Matthias was generally a sad drunk. His hands fisted in his hair and he hid his face on the bar counter. Gil gave him a light shake.

"Hey now! Don't get all mopey!" he chided. "Just forget about that asshole and have a good time."

Matthias weighed the options in his head. As much fun as it was to drink himself stupid, Lukas hated it. Ah, but did he even care about what Lukas felt? Instantly he scolded himself. Yes, he did care because he loved Lukas. If anything he should get home to talk things out with him. Matthias declined the invitation for another round of drinks, saying he had to get home while he was still about to walk.

"Good luck with Lukas!" Gilbert called out behind him while Alfred made complaints about just arriving. Matthias turned and gave them one last wave goodbye, before heading out of the pub into the crisp evening air.

By the time Matthias reached his porch he was able to clear his mind a little bit. He tentatively tried the doorknob and was pleasantly surprised to find it unlocked. In the past Lukas would attempt to lock him out when they had fights (these attempts would often be successful, as Matthias was terrible at remembering his keys). This was a good sign, meaning that Lukas wanted to talk. Slowly, Matthias entered the house, shucked off his shoes and jacket, and entered the living room.

Lukas was sitting on the couch, concentrating very hard on the book in his hands. There was a cup of coffee resting to his right, in reach for when it was needed. His face was drawn and Matthias could see he was worried. Matthias stood at the edge of the room, waiting for Lukas to acknowledge him.

With a sigh, Lukas replaced his bookmark and looked up.

"We need to talk," he stated.

Matthias took it as his cue to take a seat. He sat on the loveseat across from the couch, leaning forward with his arms resting at his knees. He needed to show Lukas that he was serious, even if he was slightly drunk.

"Did you go out drinking?" Lukas asked with annoyance. He shook his head, dismissing his previous question- of course he went out drinking. "I… I wasn't fair to you earlier. So, let's properly discuss this," he stated.

Another excellent sign, if Lukas was apologizing on his own accord. Matthias tried to hide his smile by ducking his head and running his hands through his hair. He finally looked up and asked the question he most needed the answer to.

"What's the real reason you don't want to marry me?"

"I feel that it wouldn't be best for Emil. It's been selfish of me to be involved with you in the first place when I should be looking after him," Lukas responded quickly.

Matthias raised his brows. That was certainly not the answer he was expecting. He didn't believe it either. But Lukas was staring at him with such an honest expression. Clearly, he'd convinced himself that was the true reason behind the rejection.

"Wait. So you're telling me that _Emil _is the reason you're rejecting me?" Matthias repeated, disbelief dripping from his voice. Lukas watched him with a guarded expression, a little confused at this reaction.  
"Emil, the person who's probably done more to keep us together than either of us has, is why you can't get married to me."

Lukas huffed and turned his face away.

"Lukas, baby, I know you're constantly worried about how best to raise the kid. But you're doing a fantastic job," Matthias assured him. "And just because you're responsible for another human being doesn't mean you can't do some things for yourself."

He still couldn't see his Lukas's eyes, being blocked by a curtain of hair, but Matthias did observe the way he bit his lip. His lover was sitting stiffly. Lukas's arms were folded and legs crossed in a defensive posture. He didn't make a response.

"I'm wondering if maybe you're using Emil as an excuse." Matthias suggested softly. "Maybe the real reason you don't want to accept my proposal is because you're afraid."

If it were possible, Lukas became even stiffer. Matthias wasn't even sure he was breathing. But Lukas hadn't snapped at him yet, so Matthias took it to mean he was getting to the root of the matter.

"Lukas, I want you know that our marriage would never be like your parents'," Matthias murmured. "Lu, you aren't like your mother. You'd never abandon your family. Hell, you've taken it upon yourself to raise your brother."

If Matthias wasn't mistaken, he caught a glimpse of wetness at Lu's eyes. Part of him wanted to go over and comfort Lukas right then. But Matthias also understood that Lukas needed to work out his feelings on his own.

"You're free to do whatever you like, Lu. Just let me know if you change your mind," Matthias concluded, standing up.

After one last glance at Lukas, he stumbled up the stairs, feeling impressed with himself for being so understanding.

Matthias wasn't sure how long he spent anxiously lying on his bed, waiting for Lukas. Eventually, the door slowly opened and Lukas's lean figure stepped into the room. Carefully, Lukas approached the bed. Matthias turned over and pulled back the covers as an invitation to join him. He sat down, hesitating a moment before quickly sliding under the covers and snuggling close. Matthias listened to the sound of both of their hearts pounding. He resisted the urge to speak and breathed in the feeling of being so close.

"Emil," Lukas whispered softly. Matthias could feel the hesitancy in his voice. "Emil said he'd be severally disappointed in me if I said no."

With a soft hum, Matthias planted a kiss on his forehead.

That was, after all, as close to saying 'yes' Lukas would get.

* * *

AN: Hello sweets! The rating of the fic has been raised to T because of this chapter. *tsktsk* Matthias is too much of a potty mouth.

I'm so sorry for how long this has taken to get out. It was supposed to be published nearly a week ago, but then I became really sick and couldn't work on it. Then this chapter happened and I don't even know what it is. I hope you don't hate it.

A shout out to all those who leave guest reviews. Honestly, some of the sweetest, most heartfelt and detailed reviews I receive are ones I can't even properly reply to!

Oh, I forgot to tell you guys, the other fic I mentioned before has been published and currently has 4 chapters. It's pretty different from this one, but I thought I should let you know in case any of you are interested.

You are all so lovely!  
-Allie


	15. Chapter 15

In Which Berwald, Tino, and Peter Attend a Halloween Party

_(Peter is 5)_

Peter burst into tears as soon as he caught sight of terrifying pirate with the skeleton face. He had run down to the kitchen to show Mama how he looked in his costume. But when he got there Mama was gone and in his place was that monster.

"Papa!" he screamed, feeling struck frozen with fear.

The skeleton faced pirate moved forward and made placating gestures with its arms and called out Peter's name. Peter screwed his eyes shut and cried out of terror, before feeling Papa's familiar strong hands lift him into his arms. With relief he clutched at Papa's chest and hid his face in his shoulder.

"I told ye the mask was too scary," Papa teased lightly over Peter's head.

"Peter, baby, it's okay!" That was Mama's voice.

Peter looked up to see his Mama's face leaning towards him. Instantly, Peter reached out for him but his little limbs stopped midair when he saw Mama's costume. Mama was wearing the same outfit as the monster in the kitchen moments before. Then it clicked when he saw the mask in Mama's hand. Peter's arms pulled back as if burned. His little heart felt betrayed.

"Peter, it was just me," Mama continued. "You're safe."

In a show of his offence, Peter turned his head and held onto Papa. Mama made a small noise of surprise and then laughed. Peter could feel the vibration in Papa's chest as he chuckled with his wife.

"You've hurt his feelings," Papa stated with amusement.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you honey," Mama apologized softly, placing comforting touches on the back of Peter's head.

Stubbornly, Peter didn't turn around to face his Mama. Fear and distrust still filled his little chest. Mama's arms were always a place where Peter could find tender love and quiet softness. But now he'd seen a side of Mama he didn't like.

The hands retreated and Mama sighed. "Let's go then. We don't want to be late for the party."

The party in question was Berwald's office party. Normally, Berwald didn't enjoy company parties and would rather not bother. However, ever since Tino waltzed into his life, he found himself forced to more company parties than he'd ever want to attend. This one in particular happened to be a family party, so both Tino _and_ Peter were insistent on going. Which of course meant that the two insisted they wore matching costumes. That evening, they were all pirates.

At the office, most of the workers were gathered in the break room where the festivities were kicking off. Berwald's family was late- it took some time getting Peter into his shoes and buckling him into the car. The first people to greet them were of course Feliks and Toris, the secretaries who worked the front desk.

"Tino! You, like, really need to show your face in this office more often," Feliks cried from across the room.

Quickly, Feliks forced himself through the crowd to join them. He was wearing a blue and white checkered dress and carried a little stuffed dog with him. Toris followed behind, dragging his little brother (Berwald remembered meeting him on 'Bring Your Child to Work Day'). The two were dressed as a scarecrow and lion respectively.

"Hello Feliks, Toris," Tino greeted cheerfully.

"Oh, look how adorable you all are!" Feliks complimented upon seeing their costumes. He leaned down and gave Peter a pat on the head.

"What are you dressed as?" Tino asked, trying to sound as if he were politely interested rather than confused at seeing Feliks in a dress.

Immediately Feliks smirked. "Don't you love it?" he asked with a spin to show his dress from all angles. "I'm Dorothy, of course. Toris is the scarecrow and his little brother Raivis is the lion!"

The two little boys, Peter and Raivis, stood across from each other, ignoring the adults. Peter remembered meeting Raivis before, when he visited Papa's work. He was quiet, but fun to play with. The little boy looked nervous under his furry costume and glanced around the room full of costumed strangers with some trepidation.

"Hi R- Ray- Rav," Peter greeted, wondering why everyone had such hard names (like Toris and Felchino and Mr. Belsmith).

With a small jolt of surprise, Raivis turned to Peter. "Hello Peter," he returned.

The adults continued to talk about boring things, like work. Peter wanted to go and do something; it was a party after all. So he wrapped his hand in the material of Papa's pirate pants and gave them a gentle tug to catch his attention.

"Papa, I want to go do the activities!" he whined when he'd finally captured the adults' attention.

"Oh, the department heads are doing this trick or treat thing for the kids in the big wig office hallway," Feliks suggested.

That sounded like just the thing Peter wanted. Instantly, he was hoping up and down chanting "Pleasepleaselet'sdoitplease!"

With a small laugh of amusement Mama reached down to take his hand. "I can take the kids and check it out, if Raivis wants to come too."

Peter pulled his hand from his grip and cried "No! I want Papa to take me!"

Mama's big bright eyes blinked in surprise before falling a little in disappointment. He turned to his husband with a confused look. Berwald simply shrugged and took Peter's hand, secretly grateful to escape conversing with Feliks. After some encouragement from his older brother, Raivis took Berwald's other hand and the trio went in search of the trick or treating activity.

At the entrance of the hallway full of offices, they found what they'd searched for. The hallway had been decorated to look like a neighborhood and a few children were going door to door trick or treating. Standing at the entrance to the faux neighborhood was the quiet assistant of Mr. Jones- Berwald couldn't quiet remember his name… something Wilson?- who handed out little canvas trick or treat bags to the children.

"Whoaaa!" Peter gasped, amazed at the set up.

Berwald smiled at his son's enthusiasm and nudged him forward. "Well go on an' get in there," he instructed playfully.

The two little boys nodded and rushed forward, Berwald following behind. The first door they knocked on was opened by a man dressed as Captain America. It was Mr. Jones, head of Sales and Marketing. He smiled brightly at his guests.

"Hey little guys! You look awesome!" he greeted as he kneeled down to their level. In his hands was a small bowl with candies.

"Ooooooo! Look Papa, it's Captain America!" Peter exclaimed, turning around to glance at Berwald. In return Berwald nodded, showing his understanding.

"I like you kid!" Mr. Jones declared, dropping some candy in Peter's bag. He moved to drop some in Raivis's bag. "You guys make a great pair! A pirate and a lion. I like it!"

Raivis smiled shyly at the compliment and Peter bounced like he always did when he was excited. They said goodbye and headed to the next door. When they knocked, Peter instantly recognized the two people wearing cat ears who answered the door.

"Mr. Felchino! Mr. Belsmith!" he cried with excitement. "Do you remember me?"

"Of course I'd remember a cute bambino like you!" Feliciano- Mr. Beilschmidt's Personal Assistant- replied. He leaned down to properly converse with his little friends. "You look adorable! Don't they look adorable Ludwig?" he asked, turning his head to look at his boss.

Mr. Beilschmidt nodded with a small smile. "Yes Feliciano."

"I'm a pirate!" Peter declared. He pointed to Raivis. "And Rav is a lion!"

"Yes, we can see that," Ludwig responded lightheartedly.

Feliciano smiled brightly, "And you look perfect. Lud, give them some candy!" he instructed, giving his boss a light elbow nudge.

"Right," Ludwig acknowledge as he took a small handful of candy and dropped it into the two extended bags. "Oh, and Mr. Oxenstierna, if you could step into my office for a few minutes, there's some business I'd like to discuss with you as soon as possible."

Berwald, who had been hanging back, blinked with confusion before nodding. He stepped forward between the two wide eyed boys and squeezed past Feliciano into the office. Feliciano turned to Ludwig with a pout.

"It's the Halloween Party! You said you weren't going to do work," he complained, arms crossed over his chest.

Ludwig shook it off with a wave of his hand, "This can't wait. Just stay out here and watch the children."

Grudgingly, the assistant complied and moved into the hallway. The children watched the door close, feeling confused. Quickly, Feliciano turned to them with a big smile. He crouched down and took one of their hands in each of his own.

"Okie dokie! Let's go enjoy the party while those boring guys do their work," he suggested cheerfully. He straightened up and started moving back towards the break room.

Peter felt hesitant about getting too far from Papa and didn't think they were supposed to leave the hallway, but he followed Feliciano as he guided him with his hand. He trusted Feliciano to take care of them.

They returned back to the break room. The room was large and filled with adults that Peter didn't know. Or perhaps filled with adults that Peter did know, but didn't recognize in costume. He puzzled over those thoughts in his head with his thick eyebrows pushed together in concentration. Feliciano led them to an empty table and instructed them to sit.

"I'm just going to grab some treats from that table over there," he explained, gesturing to the long table covered in bright green and purpled paper.

The little boys nodded in understanding and waited. They were both still a little short for the table, only their head and shoulders reaching above it. Peter glanced around the room, staring at the different costumes. He waved at a few children he saw and they waved back. Several adults smiled at him and he beamed.

And then the big scary man approached their table.

Feliciano was just returning with a plate full of various treats and several napkins in his hands. The big scary man came forward at the same time with an odd smile on his face. He was tall, almost taller than Papa, Peter noted. Feliciano jumped with surprise when the man came up right beside him.

"Oh! Ivan, you scared me," Feliciano said with a nervous laugh.

"It's a Halloween party after all," Ivan replied cheerily. He looked over to the boys. "You're Toris's little brother, aren't you?"

Raivis was sunk as far as he could in the chair and shaking with fright. He stared at Ivan with wide eyes and mumbled a quiet yes. Peter glanced with concern at his friend, tensing up. Ivan reached out and offered a hand to Raivis.

"Here, I will take you to him. Little brothers shouldn't get separated from their older siblings," he scolded lightly.

Feliciano sprang out of his fear and jumped forward to place himself in front of Raivis.

"Oh, thanks, but we're okay," Feliciano cried, speaking with more panic and volume than he intended. "I was left in charge and we're fine!"

Easily, Feliciano was nudged out of the way and Ivan took hold of Raivis's hand. From his position on the floor Feliciano continued protesting, sounding more desperate.

"It's no problem, really," Ivan insisted, pulling the boy from his chair.

Raivis shook like a leaf and cried with fear. Seeing his friend in distress, Peter leaped into action. He jumped to the rescue and held tightly onto Raivis from behind, pulling him in the opposite direction. Their little disturbance was beginning to grab the attention of some of the other adults.

"Stop! Let him go!" Peter shouted repeatedly. He himself was shaking and crying with fear as he felt himself being pulled forward with Raivis.

Suddenly, Peter was pried off and lifted into the air. He struggled violently, crying louder.

"Peter! What's going on?" Mama shouted. Peter turned to look at his captor and saw the welcome sight of his Mama's face, recognizing the tone of voice as the one Mama used when Peter was hurt or upset (Papa called it the 'Grizzly Mama Bear' voice).

Everyone froze at the shout. Despite having been upset with him earlier, Peter clung to his Mama's chest with relief. Standing beside Mama was Toris he came forward to fetch Raivis. Calmly, Ivan released the boy's arm and smiled pleasantly.

"Everything is fine," Ivan explained. "I was just taking Raivis to you."

Tino chose to let Toris deal with Ivan and looked at Peter.

"Peter, where's your Papa?" he demanded as he adjusted Peter so he was on his hip.

Feliciano leapt up from his position on the floor while a flood of explanations came spilling from him. Tino blinked with surprise and needed to ask Feliciano to slow down and start again.

"We're fine, the boys were just scared by Ivan," Feliciano concluded.

"Yes, he tends to do that," Tino replied. Peter observed how his lips were pressed in a tight line. Suddenly, Tino smiled brightly and turned to Feliciano. "Thanks for looking after the boys Feli. Now please excuse me, I need to go talk to my husband."

That made Feliciano laugh, which confused Peter, because he was beginning to worry about Papa.

"Don't hurt Papa," Peter mumbled quietly.

Mama laughed and gave Peter a reassuring smile. "Don't worry honey. Your Papa and I just need to have a discussion about parenting."

Peter didn't feel so reassured.

* * *

AN: Yay for an appropriately themed Holiday chapter!

Hope all you dears enjoyed it. I'm sorry I had to make Ivan the villain, but he's simply misunderstood, and I'm sure very scary looking if you're 5. He just wanted to do something to impress his dear Toris (who I'm sure wishes he wouldn't). Also, Feliciano is adorable and would be the best babysitter in the world.

Thanks for all the support!

Love,  
Allie


	16. Chapter 16

In Which Arthur Fulfills his Duties as Emergency Contact

_(Peter is 13)_

Arthur Kirkland was very proud of the fact that at 21 he had a stable job that made enough for him to live in a modest apartment. It wasn't a glamorous or exciting job but that didn't matter much to him at this point in his life. To simply put it, his standard of living was greatly improved from his life in foster care or with his father and that's all that mattered. Arthur was simply glad to put the past behind him and make something better of his life than neglect and abandonment.

Which reminded him how eternally grateful he would be that Peter would never be put through such abuse ever again. It was such a relief to know that he was being taken care of by parents who loved him. Of course, no family was perfect and Peter's loud and slightly rebellious personality (it couldn't be helped, Arthur had been _much _worse as teenager and luckily had learned to control himself since then) did cause some contention, particularly as Peter was entering his teen years.

So it came as both a surprise and grudging expectation when Arthur received a phone call from Peter's middle school right as he was returning from his lunch break.

"Hello, is this Mr. Arthur Kirkland?" the cool voice at the other end of the phone inquired. "This is Midtown Middle School. We have you as Peter Kirkland's emergency contact."

"Yes, this he," he answered quickly. Immediately Arthur stopped whatever work he was doing, his breath caught in his throat. His mind was thinking of all the possible disastrous scenarios that must have occurred for the school to contact him. What could possibly have happened that neither Berwald nor Tino were available?

"Peter has been in a fight and needs to be picked up," the voice droned.

Arthur was thrown off a beat by the statement. Shortly after a sense of both relief (glad it was nothing serious or life threatening) and annoyance (Peter better not have started the fight, but from what Tino had told him, he didn't always get along with his fellow students) washed over him, as well as confusion as to why this wasn't something Peter's parents were handling.

"Yes, yes I can do that," he answered in a rush, already gathering his things.

The secretary offered a dry thank you and hung up. With his papers returned hastily into his shoulder bag and blazer draped over his arm, Arthur hurried to his supervisor's office and explained he had to leave earlier for a family emergency. The supervisor waved him off without a complaint- Arthur was an honest, reliable worker after all- though he was surprised that Arthur _had _any family to speak of. After all, Arthur was a private man who didn't talk of his personal life with his coworkers.

On the drive to the middle school, that thankfully was not very far from his office, Arthur tried to keep his thoughts unbiased and unassuming. He knew nothing of the situation, so he shouldn't get worked up and upset with Peter until he knew all the facts. Unfortunately, Arthur was not good at being unassuming. By the time he reached the school, he was fully prepared to give Peter a talking to that Tino could be proud of (Arthur had seen what Tino was like when he was upset, not that it happened very often, but it was frightening).

Arthur pulled his modest car into one of the few empty visitors' parking spots and headed straight to the front office. It was odd trying to navigate a middle school as an adult that had no place being there. Well, besides to pick up rowdy younger siblings. The bored looking secretary at the main office directed Arthur to the principal's office. There was only a rotund tall man, whom Arthur assumed was the principal, and a fidgety Peter waiting in the room.

"Hello, you must be Mr. Kirkland," the rotund man stood up in greeting and offered a hand to shake. He seemed pleasant enough. As Arthur firmly shook hands he added, "I'm Mr. Bannerman, the principal. Please, take a seat."

As soon as he sat down, Peter turned around in his seat and gave Arthur the most pleading, apologetic, hopeful expression he'd ever seen. Arthur returned it with a stern look that made Peter duck his head in embarrassment. A quick glance over Peter revealed a split lip, swollen cheek, and scraped knees that had already been attended too.

Mr. Bannerman cleared his throat to catch the sibling's attention.

"I apologize for interrupting your work to come down here," he began.

Immediately, Arthur politely waved it off. "I assure you, it's no problem," he insisted. He turned his gaze to Peter. "_You _don't have to apologize, Mr. Bannerman."

To his satisfaction, Peter cringed under Arthur's gaze.

"Now, I've already spoken with the other students involved," Mr. Bannerman continued, "Peter was provoked into starting the fight. However, that doesn't excuse his actions. The school maintains a strict rule of nonviolence and this is the third fight Peter's been involved in this year."

Arthur nodded, "That's perfectly understandable." He was careful to keep his eyes on the principal, but could see Peter withering in his peripheral vision.

Now understanding the facts, Arthur allowed himself to be fully disappointed and frustrated with his brother. He loved Peter, very much, which was why he was upset with him. Peter was capable of being better and the whole situation reminded Arthur too much of his own troubled past. He understood how hard it was when others provoked you, particularly about things beyond your control.

But that was no excuse. Arthur wanted the best for Peter, because he deserved better. This behavior wouldn't help him as Arthur knew well.

"We've determined that Peter will start meeting with the school councilor once a week to help him cope. The other students involved will be disciplined accordingly," Mr. Bannerman explained.

He continued talking, but Arthur wasn't paying much attention, instead being distracted by Peter. It was only when Mr. Bannerman stood up that Arthur was pulled away from his thoughts. He stood up and shook the principal's hand, before walking out of the office with Peter in tow. They walked together in awkward silence. It wasn't until they were out of the building that Arthur finally spoke up.

"Peter, what on earth were you thinking?" he demanded sharply.

Moodily, Peter crossed his arms and looked away. "Of course you're siding with him," he muttered to himself.

"Excuse me?" Arthur snapped. He'd heard his brother perfectly well, but he was not going to put up with attitude.

Peter rounded on him, arms at his sides and hands clenched. "You didn't even hear my side of the story!" he accused angrily.

"I don't need to hear it; you started the fight in the first place!" Arthur returned as he started towards his car. "There's no excuse for that Peter."

With a frustrated cry, Peter followed. Arthur ignored him as he grumbled about unfairness and threw himself into the passenger seat.

"Mom says I'm allowed to fight back," he stated.

Arthur raised his eyebrow as he started the car. Well, he couldn't say that didn't surprise him- Tino was fiercely protective of his baby.

"Ah, but you weren't defending yourself were you? You threw the first punch," Arthur countered.

From his peripheral vision, Arthur could see Peter bring his legs up and hug them to his chest. He didn't look angry anymore, but sad instead. They reached the Oxens-something-Vaayna-something (Arthur still wasn't sure how to pronounce their last name) household in a few minutes. Which reminded him- why hadn't Tino or Berwald called about this in the first place?

"Is your mom home? I can stay with you if he's not there," Arthur offered. "You know, I think I'll stay anyway. Your parents need to hear about this."

Instantly, Peter shot up and grabbed Arthur by the sleeve. "Please don't tell Mom and Dad!" he begged, panic on his face.

"Peter, they need to know about this," Arthur explained with a sigh. He moved to get out of the car, but Peter held onto him tighter.

Peter's head shook madly, "No! Please don't! Mom always gets upset when I get into fights."

"For good reason!"

"No, he's not just angry with me," Peter explained frantically, "Later, at night, when he doesn't think I'm around he cries. I think it makes Mom and Dad feel guilty."

This took Arthur by surprise. His thick brows came together in confusion. "Why on earth would they feel guilty?" he asked incredulously.

Peter released his sleeve and looked away. "Mom… he feels guilty that I get teased because of him and Dad," he explained softly. Arthur blinked in shock and waited for him to continue. "Because they're gay and all. That's why I punched that kid today. He was saying that we're all going to hell."

There was a pause and Peter wiped his sleeve under his nose with a sniffle. "I've heard what Mom says to Dad about not wanting me to experience the same things as he did in school."

Guilt instantly washed over Arthur for being so sharp with his baby brother. The teasing that he'd experienced in school was also related to his unusual family life. He understood that sometimes you just couldn't keep taking it without getting a little violent. Not that it excused anything, but still.

"That's why I had the school call you instead of Mom or Dad," Peter continued. "So just… don't tell them please."

Arthur reached out to pull Peter into an awkward hug. Peter's thin arms wrapped around him, clutching tightly. His body shuddered with emotion into the embrace. When Arthur pulled back, Peter wiped hastily at his eyes.

"Peter, we still need to let your parents know," Arthur explained gently. "They'll want to know how you got hurt anyway."

Reluctantly Peter nodded and the pair heading into the house.

Arthur spent the rest of the afternoon with Peter and his mom, talking through what had happened. Tino was visibly upset, Peter meek and guilty, and Arthur helped mediate. He observed that though he and Peter were very similar there was one key difference. Peter had parents who loved him and would help him work through his problems at school. They wouldn't react with indifference, but help him become the best he could be. Oh, sure, Arthur knew he turned out fine in the end and that he'd grown strong and independent as a result.

But Peter was going to be even better.

And that gave Arthur something to look forward to.

* * *

AN: This one's a shorty, but a goodie. I love writing Arthur! He's such a wonderful character. And angsty young teen Peter is also pretty damn fun too.

Alright, now for the bad news. As fun and wonderful this has been to write, it's time to bring this to an end. As NANOWRIMO approaches, I'm going to focus on my original writing. So, this will be the last chapter in my little indulgence, as it feels like a good spot to end.

I'd like to sincerely thank all of you who've taken the time to read this. Your favorites, follows and reviews have always made my day! I have some of the sweetest readers in the world and you've made this all the more fun for me.

Much love,  
Allie


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